Special Investigations Division: Redemption
by Loki's Son
Summary: The SID regroups in order to take down the Orion Syndicate from the very top. It's a high stakes tongo tournament and some players are betting their very lives.
1. Chapter 1

8

**Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek or its related properties. All such rights and considerations belong to CBS/Paramount.**

**This is the 20th installment of the _Special Investigations Division_ series. I strongly urge going back and reading previous installments before proceeding with this one. Other recommended reading is the _Vignettes featuring Ro Laren_ since they record the early careers of many of the principle characters.**

* * *

Lt. Commander Senecka was in her office within the JAG Corps' designated space inside of _Deep Space 3_. She was reviewing evidence pertinent to an old case that had crossed her desk once again. It had been two years since Brin Macen and his wife T'Kir had been sent to the penal colony on Yuros. Macen had received a twenty year sentence for murder. T'Kir had gotten a seven year sentence as an accessory. She had the option to stay on with her husband as he completed his term.

Senecka had been their defense attorney and it still galled her that she'd lost. Macen had killed Bertram Sindis, the notorious head of both the Orion Syndicate and the criminal Meirkus Conglomeration. Her first initial appeal had been tossed out. Now, two years later, she was allowed to appeal again.

Senecka's outer logical calm was a façade that she adopted to allow her to avoid scrutiny from the Vulcan authorities. She secretly belonged to an emotional dissidents' movement and T'Kir was their hero. All of the Vulcan colonists that had lived on Shial were their heroes. Unfortunately, the Cardassians had wiped out the colony and its inhabitants, who followed the tenets of Sybok rather than Surak. T'Kir's family had been wiped out in that attack along with everyone she knew.

While Senecka, as a loyal Starfleet officer, couldn't approve of T'Kir's reaction to those events, she could certainly understand how they drove her to the Maquis. And it seemed to have been an act of fate since that's where she'd met her husband. Their courtship had been turbulent, almost resulting in a literal murder but they'd moved beyond those woeful days.

Senecka was examining the forensic evidence when she noticed something odd with the DNA. She ran it through library search and it _was_ the appropriate DNA…only it wasn't. She checked every tissue, blood, and DNA sample and ran them through a comprehensive battery of tests. She filtered the autopsy reports through the same lens and discovered that Bertram Sindis _wasn't_ the murder victim…his _clone_ was.

It took all of Senecka's considerable restraint not to jump and scream, "Yes!"

She hurriedly filed her results under a new folder within the same investigation. Activating the comm function of her comp/comm, she contacted the Judge Advocate General's office. She was informed that Admiral H'k'k'k'k'l was busy but if she'd leave a description and a copy of her case file, he'd get back to her.

Her fervent hope was that H'k'k'k'k'l would get to it today. The admiral was the first insectoid to climb to the Admiralty in Starfleet. Although to be fair, the admiral's love of structure translated itself into the law. He breathed, ate, and drank rules, regulations, and legal precepts. No other branch of Starfleet could have developed his talents and pushed them so far.

Now, all she had to do was wait…

* * *

Two hours later…

Her wait was a short one. The Admiral replied personally, "Commander, it seems you have discovered a great travesty. I have conferred with my fellow officers about dispatching Internal Affairs to _DS3_. They can get to the bottom of this in short order. I'm ordering you to re-present your briefs and motions in light of this new information."

"My first filing will be for a declaration of a mistrial." Senecka warned him.

"An appropriate choice." H'k'k'k'k'l commended her, "I look forward to reviewing your case."

The comm went dead and Senecka finally cheered. Her coworkers stared at her but she quickly comported herself with dignity and began redoing her entire defense.

* * *

Two weeks later…

Macen came through the door of his shared quarters. He shared them with T'Kir and he couldn't imagine it any other way. He knew her sentence was officially up in five more years but she fully intended to stay and wait out the rest of his twenty year sentence. As an El-Aurian and a Vulcan, that time was felt but nowhere near as badly as a human would experience it.

Macen taught at the day college program. His students worked the night shift. Of all people, it had to be Taryn Argus that taught at night. She was here to serve a life sentence. Macen wondered if Starfleet had any idea of just how long that would be; after all she was another El-Aurian.

T'Kir ran a software company out of an office space provided to her. Her every action on the computer was monitored to make certain she wasn't contacting someone off world and planning an escape. She'd discovered that her "minder" was a trustee. She'd taken up a policy of indignation in her presence. So far it hadn't gained T'Kir anything but the satisfaction of the snub.

"So how was y'r day?" T'Kir asked as she came bounding into the room. Macen sat down his padd at the door and looked over T'Kir. He'd been prepared to tell her a brief overview of his day but when he saw that she was completely naked, all thoughts of students went out the window.

"So, y'got anythin' that y'want t'give me?" she asked with a naughty grin.

"I can think of a few things." Macen admitted.

"Y'd better hurry. They way y'r bulging, I expect your coveralls to split open any second now." She chewed on her finger while she said this.

"How about I give you a five second head start?" Macen grinned slyly.

"Oh goodie!" she declared as she scampered towards the bedroom.

Macen was stripping out of his colonial coveralls as he swiftly moved into the room after her. She jumped onto the bed and tried to crawl away but he grabbed her ankles and dragged her back to him. Cupping her breasts, he lifted her up and back so that she leaned into him. He nuzzled her neck and she began making soft little moans.

The door chime rang out. At first Macen ignored it but it kept ringing and was getting really annoying. He moved away from T'Kir and went to answer the door. T'Kir twisted to say, "Waitaminute!" when she fell off the bed. Macen closed the bedroom door.

He released the front door and it slid aside to reveal two guards and the warden. Macen was wearing a black tee shirt and blue denim shorts so he wasn't as exposed as T'Kir was at the moment. She thoughtcast an angry retort into his mind and he grinned.

"Professor Macen, could it be you know why we're here?" The warden asked.

"No." Macen chuckled, "I was laughing at something my wife said."

It took a moment for the warden to recall the couple's permanent telepathic rapport. It unnerved most of the colonists. He cleared his throat, "We have been informed that your time with us is done. These deputies will take you to the administrative center where you will gather your belongings and change into them. From there you will meet with your legal counsel and she will provide transportation off of Yuros."

"We're _free_?" T'Kir bellowed as she threw open the bedroom door. She wore her coveralls but they were unzipped, revealing more than a little bit of her bosom.

"T'Kir, you _might _want to zip up." Macen cajoled her.

She jerked the zipper up, "Yah, yah, whatever."

"We expect all of your present belongings to be recycled. I look forward to processing your release." The warden bowed and went away. The two guards lingered.

"Look, a little privacy please." T'Kir pushed them out the door and closed it. She turned to Macen and pumped her fist, "Yeeeesss!"

"Not that you're thrilled by this." Macen smirked.

"Of course I am, you doof. Y'really thought that I wanted to spend twenty years here? The last two have `bout driven me nuts." T'Kir complained.

"Not that you would know what that's like." He cheekily said.

"Watch it buster, an' remember, _you_ busted me outta the nut house." She reminded him.

"Best decision I ever made." He grinned.

She smiled, "Y'r just sayin' that."

"Nope. Ranks right up there with asking you to marry me." His grin broadened.

She slid in underneath his arms as he began to hold her and rested her head on his chest, "Tell me y'knew this was gonna happen."

"Actually, it's pretty much a surprise. I only saw one probability where we got out early. I guess we're lucky." He admitted.

She excitedly bounced out of his arms, "C'mon! Let's clear outta here and get our lives back!"

* * *

After that she was a whirlwind. They were ready in less than ten minutes. The guards took them to the administrative center where they each received a basket. Each basket contained the clothes they'd been arrested in. Their utility belts and phasers would be returned to them as they prepared to depart the planet.

Yuros was blanketed in transport inhibitors so one had to use a shuttle or a runabout to depart. The warden had said that their counsel, presumably it was still Senecka, would be providing transportation. The couple wondered how far that transportation would take them.

They were brought to a well appointed conference room. Senecka sat at the table fidgeting and playing with her padds. She sprang to her feet when the couple was brought in.

"At ease, Commander. We're here now." Macen joked.

"How are y'doin', sweetie?" T'Kir hugged the other woman.

"I am doing much better now that you two are freed." Senecka admitted, "I had always suspected foul play in your case but until I recently confirmed it there was nothing to be done." Senecka revealed.

"What kind of foul play?" Macen wondered.

Senecka motioned for them to sit down and then passed each of them a padd, "The man you killed wasn't Bertram Sindis. It was his clone. This information was covered up by Thomas Barclay, who until recently, was _DS3's_ Chief of Security. He has been removed from that position following an investigation by Internal Affairs. His malfeasance tainted every aspect of his investigation into your alleged crime."

"A so-called crime we were convicted of." Macen reminded her.

"Your convictions have been overturned and a mistrial declared." Senecka smiled.

"What about the clone?" Macen asked, "Under Federation law we could still be found culpable of his death."

"The investigation was so tainted that it has been thrown out. Even sensor logs were erased and altered and eye witness accounts differ to the point of cancelling one another out so there really is no recourse for the courts but to reinstate you back into society with an apology for holding you against your will for the last two years." Senecka revealed.

"Damn straight!" T'Kir heartily agreed.

"Does that include reissuing my Latter of Marque?" Macen inquired.

"Yes." Senecka confirmed it, "The way is clear for you to return to Outbound Ventures and for you to accept contracts from the SID."

"Is that from Admiral Forger?" Macen asked.

"You can ask her yourself. She's in orbit and wishes to speak with you ASAP." Senecka explained.

Macen exchanged a grin with T'Kir. He commented with, "Then we'd best not keep the Grand Lady waiting."

* * *

Admiral Forger was aboard the _Ambassador-_class _USS Yorktown_ which was breaking orbit as it readied to receive the Type-6 shuttle they rode in. As the shuttle landed, two runabouts could be seen in the bay. Since runabouts weren't typically part of an _Ambassador's _complement Macen wondered why they were here.

Senecka said her goodbyes in the bay and went to one of the waiting runabouts upon hearing from a yeoman that her pilot was awaiting her. The lawyer's trip back to _DS3_ was well in hand. Macen and T'Kir exchanged a knowing nod. The other runabout was for them.

The yeoman took them to Forger's offices. That the admiral had a dedicated office suggested that this ship was her flag command just as Nechayev had the _USS Sovereign_. Amanda would be a gentler commander than Alynna though. Nechayev had commanded starships while Forger had always been an investigator. She'd let others do the driving.

The yeoman took his place behind the reception desk and paged Forger. The door to Forger's office opened a minute later and revealed Forger herself. She was ecstatic to see them both and gave each a warm embrace as dear old friends should. As Macen and T'Kir sat down in the chairs provided, Forger returned to her desk. They each noticed that her right foot dragged slightly as she walked.

She noted their concern, "I see you've noticed my little infirmity. Considering I was paralyzed from the waist down the last time you saw me I'm just happy to be able to walk again at all."

"Too true, Amanda. For reasons out of our control we weren't able to check in with you to see how your recovery was going." Macen replied.

Forger smirked, "Just because Starfleet Security thought I might try and break you out?"

"They really thought that?" T'Kir asked.

"Ed Noyce certainly did. Alynna was convinced as well so a communications black out was instituted." Forger explained.

"Not only with you but with everybody." T'Kir grumped.

"Well let me fill you in on the highlights. First on Starfleet's side. The membership of the Council of Five remains unchanged. The SID still remains an almost entirely civilian affair. Run by Starfleet but with paramilitary operatives."

"Elias Vaughn retired last year on his 110th birthday. Kira Nerys became an admiral and Ro Laren was promoted to Commander and made CO of _DS9_. She's fast tracked for Captain. I was promoted as well." Forger showed off her bracketed double pips. Macen and T'Kir congratulated her and Forger continued, "About your team, Tom Riker took command of the _Obsidian_. My sister Shannon remains his XO. The team roster remains unchanged. All of the surviving members are still with the unit but they've never filled the vacant slots which limits their flexibility. Frankly, I've relegated Riker's team to secondary assignments."

"The best news concerning them is I asked for some investigators from Starfleet Security to look into Annika Ryst's case on Barrinor. She's been cleared of all charges seeing as how she was falsely imprisoned." Forger reported.

"How is Celeste taking being relegated to the backfield?" Macen wondered.

"She's the only one complaining. She's threatened to return to her PI agency if I don't start taking the team seriously." Forger sadly admitted.

"We'll see how our return affects that." Macen offered a ray of hope.

"It'll certainly change what kind of contracts I offer." Forger promised.

Macen grinned, "That's good to know."

Forger smirked, "In fact, I have one right up your alley."

"Do tell." T'Kir suddenly brightened with anticipation.

Macen gave her a wry look, "I thought you were the one that always said we should minimize our field work."

"Look, I've been borin' my butt off f'r two years. _Two_ years. I ain't about to turn down the chance f'r some mischief." T'Kir retorted.

"All righty then." Macen was contrite.

"One week ago, Bertram Sindis magically came back from the dead. Evidently he knows we know about his dupe. He's going to be on Ferenginar in a week at a high stakes tongo tournament. We've managed to secure two things: access to the tournament and extradition rights. Outbound Ventures is among the security firms providing coverage for the tournament and its players. Each player has their own security contingent but they are excluded from the gaming room. Grand Nagus Rom won't let us arrest Sindis in the gaming room so it has to be done discreetly outside of the casino." Forger revealed all of that without taking a break, "I can get you in. Can you get Sindis?"

"He's already proven he's a hellcat. I won't lose any more people to him so I can't promise I can get him alive." Macen warned.

"I've been authorized at the highest levels to inform you that Sindis is to be removed. The means are up to your discretion and governed by your conscience. His ultimate disposition is negotiable." Forger divulged.

Macen smirked, "I think we can get the job done."

"Then we need to get you back home." Forger declared. She commed her yeoman, "Philip, have Roberts get off of her butt and get the _Volga_ prepped for immediate launch. It's time she did something besides play poker with the shuttle pilots."

"Yes, ma'am." The yeoman's amusement could be heard.

Forger looked crestfallen, "I wish I had more time to spend with you but I'm cleaning up a diplomatic mess that one of the SID teams created on Andor."

"Good luck with that, Chief. The Andorians are even more hard headed than Klingons." T'Kir offered.

"Tell me something I don't already know." Forger stood and came around her desk. The couple rose and Forger smiled as she hugged each one, "I know we already did this but we've lost so much time already."

"Have no fears `Manda, we're back!" Macen assured her.

Forger opened her office door and peeked out, "Philip, it's time."

* * *

The yeoman led Macen and T'Kir back to the shuttlebay and straight into the open arms of the waiting _Volga_. Roberts was impatiently waiting for them, "We've already got our clearance to leave so if you'll take your seats we can lift off."

"Y'r takin' us to _Serenity Station_, right?" T'Kir had to ask.

"That's the destination on my orders but I'd never heard of it before. Apparently it's the hub for some security firm." Roberts relayed.

"Outbound Ventures." T'Kir supplied the name.

"Yeah, do you work for them?" Roberts asked.

"_We_ own the company." T'Kir bequeathed a sweet smile upon her.

Roberts looked like she swallowed a very tart lemon, "I'll be sure to get you there in record time, ma'am."

"We have faith in you." Macen promised as he tugged at T'Kir's arm. They went to the crew lounge in the rear compartment and had a late dinner. Afterwards they cuddled on one of the two beds since there were no couches.


	2. Chapter 2

9

Several hours later, Roberts retreated to the aft compartment. She was in heavily patrolled traffic lanes so it was safe to let the computer do some of the flying. When she arrived, the lights were already dimmed and Macen and T'Kir were asleep on one bed, fully clothed and spooning. Roberts felt a pang of jealousy and stripped off her uniform jacket and blouse. She pulled the other bed's blankets over herself and nodded off.

She was awoken by her passengers having breakfast but she pretended to sleep. They quietly moved to the cockpit and she waited for the alarm to go off. When it did she used the bathroom to relieve herself and brush her teeth. Then she grabbed a quick bite to eat and joined the others in the cockpit.

She'd done some research after they retreated to the passenger lounge. She was assigned to Starfleet Intelligence and routinely handled confidential flights with priority passengers. She was startled to discover that SI considered Macen and T'Kir to be top priority subjects as well.

SI's records contained a brief overview of their careers but she knew more had been left out than included. She asked them some general questions to get a better handle on what had been presented. This conversation dominated all topics for the four days that it took to reach _Serenity_. By the time the runabout docked and the airlocks were opened to the station, Roberts was in awe.

* * *

Macen and T'Kir registered with the Security officer attending the landing and then gave Roberts directions to Quark's local franchise. Up in station Ops, the registry caught the attention of the deputy administrator who reported it to Ephrim Zyrain. Zyrain didn't believe the form despite it being confirmed by biometric data.

"Alert Security." He ordered, "I want these people's identities confirmed."

"Yes sir!" the deputy went for his communicator.

* * *

"They sealed it." T'Kir frowned as she saw the external lock emplaced over the door.

"You can't mean to tell me you can't pick this lock." Macen scoffed.

"Watch the wisecracks, buster." She went at it and stripped the lock off in fifteen seconds. Freed, the door's sensors registered them as being the rightful inhabitants and opened so they could enter.

It was dark inside and T'Kir called for the lights. Everything was where they'd left it and was kept clean by the regular maintenance routine of the cleaning `bots. T'Kir immediately headed for the bedroom where she began to strip. Testing the sonic shower, she found it to be perfectly in order and soon basked in its emissions.

The doors opened suddenly and Macen had his hand on his phaser but saw it was station security and relaxed, "How can I help you?"

"Could you and your companion accompany us to the Infirmary? We need to settle a dispute as to your identity." The Security Chief requested.

"My _wife_ is in the shower but she'll be out in a moment." Macen promised.

Several minutes later the bedroom door opened and T'Kir looked fierce. Wearing a V-necked black leather duster, a black tank top, black leather pants, and black Angosian combat boots. Added to the effect were her utility belt and holster.

"Now we c'n get this show on the road." She testily declared.

* * *

Kort's jaw nearly dropped out of his head, "Macen! T'Kir! You're free!"

"Doctor, can you confirm these individuals' identities?" the Security Chief asked.

"Didn't I just do that?" Kort thundered.

"Very well. I will inform Director Zyrain that the misunderstanding has been cleared up." The Chief announced.

"Tell Zyrain that I'll be paying him a visit tomorrow." Macen stated.

The Chief gulped and bustled his people out of the Infirmary. Kort was still beside himself.

"I don't know how you did it but thank Kahless that you have." He exclaimed.

"Admiral Forger told me the team's hit a rough patch." Macen said ruefully.

"Yes, they have. They're all about to quit." Kort regretted to say.

"How's the crew of the _Obsidian_ doing?" Macen asked.

"Wonderfully. They are thriving, except for Hannah." Kort said. T'Kir bristled at the news of her best friend doing less than "thriving". Kort picked up on this and softened the blow.

"She just feels underutilized. The entire team does. At first the reduced workload was a relief but now they crave a challenge." Kort described the situation.

"Well I have a challenge for them. One that's going to require everyone being at the top of their game." Macen replied.

Kort smiled, "Excellent. The _Obsidian_ is returning to port today. Can I inform them that you're here?"

"We'll be at Quark's for the next few hours. Send everyone there if they come calling." Macen instructed.

"Gladly." Kort beamed.

* * *

The _Obsidian _met the docking collar with barely any vibration. Tom Riker praised Hannah Grace on it and she shrugged. What was one more tedious duty in a day full of them?

Riker could sense her frustration but there wasn't anything he could do about it. His wife, and Trill Sciences Specialist, was manning OPS for Yeriden, who was ill, "Tom, Ephrim Zyrain is on the line for you."

"Put it on speakers." Riker ordered. Grace was locking down her board when Zyrain spoke.

"Do you know Brin Macen and T'Kir are back? Why wasn't I informed of this? Are they fugitives?" Zyrain fretted.

"T'Kir and Brin are back?" Grace asked in a hushed voice.

"Excuse me, but _where _are Macen and T'Kir?" Riker asked.

"They were last seen in the Infirmary." Zyrain responded.

Grace bolted for the turbolift and vanished out of sight.

"Hannah! Wait!" Riker shouted after her. As the lift doors closed he snarled, "Goddammit!"

"Easy, Tom. She's understandably excited." Danan pointed out, "She'll calm down once she sees T'Kir."

"I just don't want this to get out of hand. A mad rush for the airlock could get someone hurt." Riker complained.

"I think it'll be okay." Danan said with a twinkle in her eye.

* * *

The lift deposited Grace on the appropriate deck and she barreled through those lining up early to disembark. She plowed through them shouting, "Make a hole! Coming through!"

Training and the desire to protect oneself from the mad Kelvan facilitated her quest as the crew gave way. She sprinted for the airlock, which Radil Jenrya got open just in time. Grace flew past her and broke into a dead run, breezing past Station Security.

"She can't do that!" one of the Security officers complained.

Radil smirked. The Bajoran enjoyed seeing the station crew thwarted, "It seems she already has."

"Is there a problem?" Celeste Rockford asked as she approached the airlock. She'd moved out of the way for Grace and knew something dire must be up.

"Your crew can't blow past the checkpoints. We're here to verify that you're all authorized personnel." The security officer said.

"Do civilian transports and freighters have to undergo this check in?" Rockford asked.

"No." the officer said, suspecting a trap.

"Then I don't see why we should either." Rockford said.

Riker and Danan arrived at that point and Rockford jerked a thumb in Riker's direction, "_He's_ the captain. Argue with him."

"Wait a second." Radil interrupted, "Before anyone argues with anyone, _why_ did Hannah blow through here like her life depended on it?"

"Macen and T'Kir are back. They're in the Infirmary with Kort." Riker answered.

Rockford dropped her bag and bolted down the corridor. The security guards grew angry, "Damn it! There goes another one. You're hereby ordered to report to Director Zyrain!"

"Gladly." Riker pushed past the guards and the rest of the crew followed.

* * *

Grace ran into the Infirmary. Not seeing T'Kir or Macen she looked to Kort, who was sitting in his office smirking.

"Where…?" she began.

"Quark's." he said and she took off again. She ran through the entrance into Quark's restaurant and froze. Her eyes and other senses desperately sought her friend. She suddenly realized that they were seated in the middle of the room at the largest table.

T'Kir grinned ear to pointed ear. She rose and met Grace halfway to the table and embraced her tightly. After several minutes had passed they separated revealing tears streaming down Grace's face.

"Are you cryin'?" T'Kir asked with some concern.

"I'm just so happy you're back. They convicted you and they hauled you away. They wouldn't let me see you or write you or anything." Grace lamented.

"Well, I'm out now so we don't have to worry `bout it anymore." T'Kir consoled her.

"Thank the stars for that. I…" Grace began when Rockford interrupted.

"It's true!" she exclaimed from the entrance to Quark's. She stumbled into the restaurant in a daze. Macen steadied her by taking hold of her shoulders. He held her for a heartbeat and then he hugged her. She melted into the embrace.

Macen let go of her and she whispered, "I'd almost given up."

Macen smiled, "Can't have you doing that."

"But how…?" she faltered.

"Let's wait for the others before we delve into that." He suggested, "In the meantime I'm buying drinks."

Lug, the proprietor, arrived with an order padd. Rockford looked relieved, "Bourbon, no, make it a double."

Grace ordered a screwdriver while Macen and T'Kir stuck to a malted for her and a vanilla milkshake for him. Grace asked why they were drinking the obvious treats.

"I think we deserve it, Hannah. Besides, they aren't 'nutritional' so they weren't allowed to the prisoners on Yuros." Macen explained.

"Good enough for me." Rockford said from her seat beside Macen. T'Kir sat on his other side and Grace sat beside her. It was a gathering of family.

* * *

Riker charged into the Infirmary. He didn't see Macen. Kort suddenly bellowed out, "Quark's!"

Riker and Danan headed there and saw the gathering. Riker stopped on the other side of the table from Macen, "I can't believe you're here."

Macen rose and shook his hand, "It caught us by surprise as well."

"Hello T'Kir." Riker said. She hefted her glass in salute. Danan came around the table and leaned over and wrapped her arms around T'Kir's shoulders and squeezed. Next she approached Macen and kissed him on the cheek.

"Welcome back." She said and then she rejoined her husband. Lug swooped in and took orders. Both of them ordered stiff drinks as well.

* * *

Rab Daggit and Parva were next to arrive. Parva doted over T'Kir and she cried as T'Kir hugged her. Daggit sat down and ordered as Lug hovered nearby. Parva took a seat next to him and also dealt with Lug.

"Where's Jenrya?" T'Kir asked.

"Oh, she'll be around." Grace slyly smirked, "_After_ she visits Kort."

Tasting juicy news in the air T'Kir leaned close and said, "Do tell."

* * *

Radil stopped by the Infirmary. The door chime sounded and Kort bellowed, "Quark's!"

"Oh really?" Radil shouted back, "Does that mean you haven't got time for your wife?"

There was a loud clatter and then a crash. A Klingon obscenity filled the air, followed by some dedicated banging noises, and then Kort emerged from the back. He was slightly rumpled but appeared to be unharmed.

"Is it dead?" she snickered.

Kort sighed, "Now I have to get the station's engineers to look at it."

"Nab Parva. She'd love to fix it." Radil suggested.

Kort brightened, "Excellent suggestion."

"Are you free?" Radil asked.

"Dr. Paella relieves me in ten minutes." Kort smiled.

"Then I'll wait and we can go meet `n greet Macen and T'Kir together." Radil grinned.

"Somehow I thought you'd say that." Kort revealed.

Her grin grew as she kissed him, "Don't you just know me too well?"

"I could never know you well enough." Kort replied.

Radil wrapped her arms around his neck, "Good answer."

* * *

Back at Quark's, the group had ordered finger foods and snacks to get them by until dinner. Kort and Radil arrived fashionably late. Macen and T'Kir greeted them.

"Y'little scamps. Getting' married without us." T'Kir grinned.

"We would have been there but we were unavoidably detained." Macen managed to say with a straight face.

"You were in our hearts and on our minds during the ceremony." Kort said, "So in essence you were there."

"Aww, isn't he sweet?" T'Kir gushed.

Radil grinned, "Why do you think I married him?"

"I figured it was because of the great shagging." T'Kir said conspiratorially.

Radil laughed, "That too."

"Please, join us and order up. It's on me." Macen said.

"Can you afford this?" Radil wondered, "After all, you just got out of…"

"Prison?" Macen smirked, "Outbound Ventures earned money while we were away and we own Outbound Ventures. Besides, I have untapped reserves of latinum left over from when Barrinor was independent."

"If you're sure, I'm sure." Radil happily conceded.

Macen and T'Kir retook their seats. Riker interjected the next comment, "I suppose we'd better transfer the _Obsidian's_ command codes back to you ASAP."

"That won't be necessary." Macen said, "I'm not here to resume command of the _Obsidian_."

Conversation died and everyone stared at Macen. He wore a wry expression, "I fully intend to command the investigative unit but I will have no authority whatsoever over the ship and her crew."

"Brin, we tried that. It was a failure." Riker reminded him.

"Prison changes a man. It forces them to re-examine their positions and priorities." Macen said, "Amanda said the crew is thriving under you. Why change a winning combination?"

"But you're still taking control of the SID team?" Riker wondered.

"They're chafing under your leadership. Starfleet is concerned that they lost their premier unit. I'm being reinstated in order to solve the problem." Macen said.

"Are you legally allowed to that?" Riker asked.

Macen explained the details of their release and why it came about, "I've been given a new Letter of Marque and a contract to bring in Bertram Sindis."

"But that's how you ended up on a penal colony in the first place." Danan interrupted.

Macen smiled, "But _this_ time I've been ordered to stop him by any means necessary. It's at my discretion."

"Are you sure?" Danan pressed harder.

Macen handed her a padd, "Here's the contract. Take special note of the language employed."

She perused it for a moment and then her eyes widened, "By the Pools, Brin. This is a blank cheque."

Macen nodded, "Exactly my point. Starfleet has bumped Sindis up to 'Imminent Threat' and 'Clear and Present Danger' status. We're to clean house."

"You're not even going to try and bring him in, are you?" Riker asked.

"I'm open to all options but I'm not letting any other members of the team die at his hand." Macen's tone was one of finality.

No one argued with him over the topic after that.


	3. Chapter 3

8

The reunion party had broken up and Riker was leading Macen and T'Kir to their old station-side office, which Riker had taken over. He'd kept their assistant on and when Bryce Fanning saw them, she broke down into tears. T'Kir wrapped her arms around her and consoled her. The office contained three desks but it was obvious one of them was never used.

"I took over your desk and no one has used T'Kir's." Riker explained.

"We'll bring in another desk with a link to form an 'L' shaped fixture on this side of the room that T'Kir and I will share and you'll be able to keep your place in the office." Macen declared.

"Brin, I can leave. It's no bother." Riker protested.

"Nonsense. I'd just have to call you in every time we got a contract. _This_ way we can confer and begin the planning before we set out." Macen decided.

Riker was still skeptical, "Okay, we'll try it your way."

"Bryce?" Macen addressed the formerly distraught assistant, "Are you okay?"

She sniffled, "I'm fine now."

"I need you to contact the _Obsidian's _crew and SID team and inform them that we have a 0900 departure time tomorrow. Can you do that?" Macen requested.

"I'm on it." She said with renewed determination.

"We're setting out?" Riker asked.

"We have to be on Ferenginar in 3 days. On the way we have to stop at Dulces VI and pick up our new Engineering Specialist for the SID team." Macen explained.

"Dulces is in the opposite direction from Ferenginar." Riker frowned.

Macen smirked, "Is it? I guess we'll just have to hope that Parva has kept the engines at peak performance."

Riker scowled. Macen patted him on the shoulder and then he addressed T'Kir, "C'mon Snickerdoodle, let's go check out our rooms _without_ having Station Security crash the party."

"Sounds good." T'Kir waved goodbye to Bryce, "See ya later!"

* * *

Later in their room, T'Kir changed the sheets on the bed; "Ye gods, these are dusty."

Macen called out some encouragement and then went back to contacting Ro Laren. As CO of _Deep Space 9_ her time would be eaten up by a thousand different things. He could only hope she could squeeze him in.

It turned at that she was off duty and in her quarters. She was delighted to receive his message and to hear his news, "I can't believe that they let you go. I've heard stories of how they find ways to keep prisoners incarcerated despite tainted evidence."

"They need us. Sindis is making a public appearance and they want someone dedicated to stopping him to confront him." Macen explained.

He'd transmitted a copy of his orders to her and she frowned upon reading them, "These are only quasi-legal. They may be authorized by the C-in-C and Nechayev but they still amount to a death warrant and execution is illegal in the Federation."

"He'll be resisting arrest." Macen countered.

"Now you sound like a Cardassian." She accused, "How do you know he'll resist arrest?"

"He _always_ resists arrest." Macen said coldly.

Ro's features softened, "Look, I'm sorry about the Cardassian crack. But you have to admit that the second time you faced 'Sindis' it was his clone not the man himself. You're basing your plan on a single encounter."

"An encounter where he nearly killed me and _enjoyed _himself while doing so." Macen reminded her.

"Which brings me to my next point, this is _personal_ for you. You're too close to the problem. This isn't just going to get Sindis killed. I'm worried for you and your team." Ro admitted.

"Even me?" T'Kir asked as she swooped in behind Macen and kissed his neck.

"Yes, even you." Ro confessed.

"Awl right!" T'Kir crowed as she skipped out of the room to sample the latest offerings on the replicator network.

"She's certainly happy." Ro observed.

"Weren't you when you got out of the stockade?" Macen wondered.

"No. I had illegal orders to obey in order to stay free and I didn't like my chances of carrying them out with the _Enterprise_ crew around." Ro divulged.

"That _would_ put a damper on your mood." Macen agreed, "But it all worked out. You joined the _Enterprise_ crew, ran off to the Maquis and then joined the Bajoran Militia. When elements of the Militia were incorporated into Starfleet, you rejoined Starfleet and are now CO of a Starfleet space station."

"Technically it's still a Bajoran station. Starfleet just administrates it." Ro corrected him.

Macen grinned, "Spoken like a true commanding officer."

Ro's smile was radiant, "I guess."

"I have to say, Laren, that your mentality has radically shifted since you returned to Starfleet." Macen pointed out, "In the Maquis, _you_ would have been leading this charge."

"I was also a renegade." She dryly commented, "Now I uphold the law. _All_ of the law, not just what's convenient to obey."

Silence fell upon them.

"So, how's Captain Reyes? Are you two still…?" Macen wondered.

"Yes, and thanks for asking. Alfonso and I coordinate our leaves so we can spend them together. We also alternate time at each others' station. And of course there's the subspace calls every day." Ro disclosed.

Macen smiled, "Congratulations, Laren. I'm happy you've found someone."

"Of course, each of us is trying to get the other to transfer but we're both too stubborn to do it." Ro said ruefully.

"Have faith. You're both at the top of your game right now but eventually one or both of you will want to slip away quietly." Macen promised.

Ro grinned, "Is that a prediction?"

"Of sorts. I've taken his measure and I know you. It'll come to pass." Macen opined.

"I wonder if you truly know me now." Ro said.

Silence fell again. This time Ro broke it.

"Is there anything else?" she asked.

"Where's Elias?" Macen asked.

"He's on Caldos II. Alfonso is letting him use his grandfather's cabin." Ro answered.

Macen smiled, "The retirement site for the great Diego Reyes? Elias has to be loving that. Is the planetary society still modeled after the Scottish Highlands?" Macen wondered.

"Yes. Elias is enjoying himself immensely." Ro said, "You should call him."

"I will as soon as I'm settled in here." Macen replied.

"Did you ever think that you'd miss Cardassian architecture?" Ro wore a knowing grin.

His rueful smile was answer enough, "It kinda caught us by surprise."

"Me too." Ro admitted, "What an irony."

"Ah, so now we're going to wax philosophical." Macen teased.

"You know better than that." Ro had the grace to smile, "Take care, Brin. Don't do anything to get locked up again."

"I can promise that." Macen agreed.

"Good." She hesitated, "Give T'Kir my love and see how long she gloats about that."

Macen grinned, "I will."

"Ro out." The screen went blank. Macen sat staring at it for several minutes, reflecting on what Ro had said. T'Kir interrupted his thoughts.

"Quit broodin' an' get in here." She called from the kitchen.

He stepped into the area and found her still perusing menu options. She was frowning as she read the descriptions of item after item.

"Sucks to have so many choices again." He joked.

"Don't laugh or I may have t'hurt ya." T'Kir retorted, "I'm tryin' t'find 'mood food'."

"And what, pray tell, is 'mood food'?" Macen had to ask.

"Food that'll get us in the mood." She said suggestively.

He came up from behind her and wrapped his arms around her, "Too late."

She twisted around and wore a sly grin, "Oh, it is, is it?"

"Much, much too late." His eyes never left hers.

"So what are y'gonna do `bout it?" she asked breathlessly.

"Just this." He said. He leaned in and their lips hovered near each other. They brushed and T'Kir held her breath but Macen pulled his head back.

"Maybe I am hungry after all." He said with a twinkle in his eyes.

"C'mere you! I'll show ya hungry." T'Kir said in a throaty voice.

This time they're lips did meet.

* * *

"`Kay, _now_ I'm hungry." T'Kir said as she draped herself over Macen's naked form. Her naked flesh was still far warmer than his and she _had_ been content just to lie there. Unfortunately, her stomach protested and it's growling could be heard.

"What is that?" Macen idly asked.

"That's my stomach, _shuk_ for brains. I keep tellin' ya, I'm _hungry_." T'Kir protested.

"Come m'dear, let's satisfy you." He offered.

"An' then y'can satisfy me again." She said with a sly smile.

"Aren't you just insatiable tonight?" Macen teased.

"Nyuh!" she stuck out her tongue.

"As you always say, don't stick it out unless you plan on using it." Macen warned.

"Oh, I'm gonna use it." She promised.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's eat." He excitedly said.

"I think I've created a monster." She grinned.

* * *

At 0700 the next morning, Macen was in Ephrim Zyrain's office. He wore a grim expression when he left the office 35 minutes later and Zyrain didn't emerge or accept communications for several hours. When he did, it was from Claudia Tyrol, the Outbound Ventures CEO. Her words, although softer than Macen's, reinforced the owner's message: the prejudicial ID checks for Outbound Ventures ship crews, while avoiding noncorporate traffic, would end immediately if not sooner. Zyrain sagged in defeat.

* * *

The _Obsidian's _crew prepped for launch. Grace, Riker, and Danan were the only SID members with bridge duties. Radil ran Security while Rockford and Daggit gathered with Macen and T'Kir in Briefing Room 2. Parva joined them after finishing the last diagnostic and she was content to let Gilan oversee the departure.

"What can I do for you?" she happily asked Macen.

"I need this space converted into a working office with four desks and terminals. It also needs access to the holo-emitter array so we can project imagery into the center of the room." Macen described.

T'Kir handed over a padd, "Here's what we were thinkin'."

Parva perused the data and then began modifying it, "_This_ will work."

She handed the padd back to T'Kir, who whistled upon viewing its contents; "Impressive."

"I'll get some of my boys on it as soon as we clear warp speed. It should be up and running before the watch is out." Parva declared.

T'Kir hugged her, "An' you thought y'were a bunny head."

"I am. I'm just a _smart_ bunny head." Parva laughed.

"No denyin' that." T'Kir affirmed.

Parva left with a satisfied air about her. Rockford and Daggit looked at Macen expectantly. It was Rockford that broke the silence.

"You wanted Rab and I here for some reason?" she asked.

Macen grinned, "Yes Celeste, I did. You'll note that I specified _four_ workstations. You and Rab will each have one."

"Really?" she asked, "Riker was content to let us use the Team Briefing room." Rockford said.

"I'm not Tom. I need my lead investigator and Strategic Ops Specialist to have access to the Infosys Center. You up for it?" Macen asked.

Rockford's smile was a pleased one, "Have I mentioned how glad I am to have you back?"

Macen looked pensive, "I think the matter came up yesterday."

Rockford and Daggit merely smiled as Macen said, "I think we should clear out and let Parva do her magic in here."

"Good thinking." Daggit agreed. He above all people knew how cranky Parva could get if someone were in the way of her pet project. Still, the Orion seemed happier than she had in years. Some measure of that derived from Riker's leadership.

* * *

The quartet ended up in the Team Room. Macen and T'Kir had been herded here by the two Angosians. As they entered, Rockford finally explained why.

"Outside of the bridge, this place has the best view. It's great for departures and returns." She grinned.

The Team Room served as a general purpose cafeteria. It had also taken the place of an Observation Lounge as found on larger starships. A whole crowd of off-duty personnel were gathered to witness the debarking from the station and the planet Odin. Most had drinks and a few had finger food snacks.

"Can I get anyone anything?" Daggit inquired.

"Sure can." T'Kir spouted off, "But I'll come with and help you carry it all."

Rockford and Macen made their requests and then they were alone. Rockford looked edgy so Macen decided to bull on in and find out why.

"You've been nervous ever since we came aboard. Mind telling me why?" Macen asked.

Her first instinct was to deny it but Macen was a low level empath and his wife was a high grade telepath, lying would do no good; "I almost gave up. I came aboard to fulfill a dream of a better tomorrow. A good dream, by the way and I almost gave up on it."

"Understandable. It must have seemed impossible with T'Kir and I on a penal colony out of touch and out of the way." He replied.

"It's more than that." Rockford insisted, "It's been a few decades since I believed in anything or anyone. To have all of that taken away was crippling. Trying to fill your shoes in the Investigative Team didn't help. No matter what I did I felt I wasn't measuring up. The others certainly made it plain that I wasn't."

She absent mindedly twirled a loose strand of hair, "And to top it all off, I made a realization."

_That_ hung in the air for several moments before Macen blurted, "What?"

Rockford's gaze was steady as she confessed, "I've fallen just a little bit in love with you."

She held up her hand, "It's just an infatuation and it can't lead anywhere but there you have it."

Macen studied her and tasted the truth of her words, "I'm flattered. I really am. Thanks for the heads up but as you said, it can't go anywhere. I'm happily married. If I weren't I'd be pressing you for more information right now."

"I didn't know if I should say anything." Rockford confessed.

"Celeste, honesty is always best. This way I'll know better than to send off any confusing signals." Macen informed her.

"You never did before." She admitted.

"But I was blissful in my ignorance. This way I can make sure." He said.

"I've totally _frinxed_ up our relationship, haven't I?" she bemoaned.

"Nonsense. Life was grand before. It'll be fine now." Macen assured her.

"T'Kir's gonna freak isn't she?" Rockford moaned.

"Well, she did spew her first mouthful of her drink all over Rab but she's taking it much better now." Macen warned.

T'Kir and Daggit returned with drinks for all and T'Kir scooted closer to Rockford, "Celeste, would y'open y'r mind t'me? I need t'see if we're gonna have a problem."

Rockford relaxed as best she could and she could feel T'Kir in her mind. For the first time, the two women shared their intimate secrets from their past and present. When T'Kir withdrew, both felt a sense of intimacy and relief.

"No problems." T'Kir announced.

Daggit was still trying to figure what was going on. Macen distracted everyone by observing that the _Obsidian_ had broken free of the station and was now free navigate. As they beheld the beauty of the planet beneath them and the stars around, Macen couldn't help but wonder what T'Kir had learned. He was left to wondering because she wasn't sharing.


	4. Chapter 4

8

Riker watched as the stars on the viewer became streaks of light. They'd cleared the inner system boundary and leapt into subspace. Riker congratulated his bridge crew on their performance. Grace snorted but he purposefully ignored her. They'd have words when her watch was over. He'd teach her some manners by God or die trying.

He activated his comm badge and paged Parva. She sounded happy when she replied.

"How can I help you, Captain?" her chipper voice asked.

_Now _that's_ how the crew is supposed to react._ He thought before saying, "Excellent work with the engines. We translated into subspace flawlessly."

"I'm afraid you'll have to thank Gilan for that. Although…it was my maintenance program that allowed our engines to work so well." Parva said.

"You're not in Engineering?" Riker was baffled.

"No. I'm in Briefing Room 2 converting it into an Information Systems Center." Parva explained.

"And who authorized that?" Riker felt a migraine coming on.

"Commander Macen." Parva revealed.

"Thank you, Parva. I'll get back to you." Riker said. Next he commed Macen, "Brin, can I see you in my Ready Room?"

"Certainly." Macen replied with a carefree attitude.

"Tom?" Danan was worried.

"Lees, you have the bridge." He gruffly said and then he disappeared into the Ready Room.

* * *

"All right people, I have to go now." Macen called out above the clamor that the Team Room had turned into. When the off duty crew recognized him they immediately began pelting him with questions regarding the command structure. He'd gone into a very careful and precise explanation of how things were going to work but all that did was provoke more questions.

He exited the Team Room and T'Kir caught up with him, "Won't you need me?"

"I think Tom wants a one on one." Macen replied.

"C'n I at least wait f'r you in the Rec Room?" she asked.

Macen smiled, "Sure. Why not?"

* * *

"What the hell were you thinking?" Riker bellowed as soon as the doors to his Ready Room sealed.

Macen smirked and calmly sat down in a chair.

Riker leaned across the desk, "Well?"

"If you're trying to intimidate me with your size, remember, I'm used to having Rab for an exercise partner. For sheer lethality he outclasses you by several degrees." Macen stated.

Riker was stymied and he knew it. Retaking his seat he tried a calmer approach, "Why did you do it?"

"Do what?" Macen wondered.

"Why did you task Parva with retooling Briefing Room 2? She's a member of my crew and I might have had plans for that Briefing Room. Dammit Brin, you aren't Captain any more. You have to clear these things through me. This is my ship and any changes go through me." Riker argued.

"You're right in saying I'm not Captain. I'm not. I just spent twenty minutes in the Team Room explaining that. As for Parva, I asked her if she could spare anyone from her department to modify the room. I had no idea that she'd volunteer her personal services." Macen explained.

"Of course she volunteered. You're the _former_ captain. This crew would bend over backwards to accommodate you. Which brings me to modifying the briefing room. You can't go around picking rooms to modify or designate as yours. It's my ship now and I won't have it." Riker said.

Macen looked amused, "That's the second time you've said this ship is 'yours'. It's not. I own this vessel. Her papers and registration are in my name not yours. The same holds true for _Serenity Station_. I own that as well. You're _Captain_ of this ship but I authorize your pay credits so you'd best be a little respectful."

"I checked the usage records for that room. It's been used once in two years. Everyone prefers Room 1 because it's larger and has nicer amenities. The investigative unit has their own dedicated briefing room. This makes Room 2 expendable and the investigative unit had a real need. Think of it has a dedicated space for research, not unlike the Astrometrics bay." Macen declared.

Riker wore that horrified, stunned expression of someone who'd just been slapped. Finally he recovered and he grated, "Damn you. Do you know how hard it has been to replace you? The crew expects me to _be_ you. Rockford and Daggit give me their disapproving glances. Radil avoids me. My wife pities me and Grace…! Let's not forget dear, sweet Hannah. She challenges every order with a sigh, a glance, an eye roll, or a snort. If she challenges me one more time I'm putting her in the brig!"

Riker had started out barely controlled but in a low voice. At the end he was shouting. Macen took in his roiling emotions and his frustrated words and asked one question.

"How can I help?" Macen inquired.

Riker gaped, "You want to _help_?"

"Tell me what you want me to do to shore up your authority." Macen said.

Riker was at a loss and finally he said, "At least _pretend _to check in with me concerning ship's business. You'll be surprised, I'll usually agree with you."

"And I'll be leaving all crew matters to you." Macen promised.

Riker huffed, "That's a given."

"Give me a list of people with authority issues and I'll try to straighten them out." Macen offered.

"_We'll_ straighten them out. _Together_." Riker counter offered.

Macen nodded, "Fair enough."

"We might as well start with the hardest case." Riker declared. Tapping his comm badge, he summoned Grace.

* * *

Grace appeared and she looked expectant. Finding Riker at the desk and Macen on the couch, her dismay was palpable. Riker caught the scent of blood in the water and motioned for Grace to take a seat in one of the two chairs laid out in front of the desk.

Grace sat down and Riker began, "Well Hannah, aren't you wondering why you're here?"

"Not really. I assumed it has to do with you usurping the Captain's job." Grace answered.

Riker bristled, "Hannah, _I'm_ the Captain."

Grace's eyes sought out Macen and he nodded, "It's true. He's captain."

"But…" Grace started to protest.

"Hannah, I have my reasons." Macen informed her.

Stunned, she blinked a few times and turned to face Riker. He sternly laid down an ultimatum, "Hannah, you will perform your duties _without_ sighs, rolling of the eyes, snippy comments, muttering, or any other displays of attitude or you'll be relieved of duty."

"Fine." She said coldly, "Relieve me."

"Excuse me?" Riker couldn't believe his ears.

"I said relieve me." Grace verified for him, "I resign as the Chief Helmsman."

"Do you know what you're saying?" Riker was stunned.

"My loyalty is to _him_." Grace pointed at Macen, "I'm a member of _his_ Investigative Unit. _He _gave me one chance after another when he had no reason to. _He_ convinced the rest of you to accept me for what I am."

"Hannah, you've served under me for years and you've never had a problem with my authority before." Riker pointed out.

"You _weren't_ Captain." Grace told him, "You've been _the_ so-called Captain for the last two years. _We_ were stripped of our status as a front line SID team. _We_ did grunt work. That's not what _we_ do. _You_ wouldn't step up to the plate and you left everything to Celeste. She knew she was overwhelmed and reached out to you. _You_ said you were a starship captain, not a field hand. That sealed our fate."

"The only thing that kept us here was Celeste. She insisted that we give you a chance to fill your role. Even she was ready to give up when _the_ Captain returned." Grace concluded her diatribe with her own ultimatum, "I'll stay aboard but I serve _him_."

Riker looked to Macen for support. Macen was unnaturally calm when he spoke, "Okay Hannah, you're on the field team."

"That's it?" Riker was dumbfounded.

"Her mind is made up. It's easier to find a new CONN officer than it is to change Hannah's mind." Macen explained.

His comm badge chirped and he tapped it, "Macen here."

It was T'Kir, "Check out FNS. Quick!"

Riker called up the news service and Macen and Grace gathered around his desk. The report was of the destruction of Romulus and the disappearance of Ambassador Spock. Spock was presumed dead having been swallowed by a singularity. Apparently a Romulan mining vessel had been sucked up as well. There were no known survivors.

"My God." Riker breathed.

"Hopefully they knew Him." Macen remarked.

Both Riker and Grace gave him skeptical glances.

Macen turned to Riker, "Tom, make whatever announcement you want to make regarding the command situation. I'll deal with the aftermath on a case by case basis."

He turned to Grace, "C'mon Hannah, T'Kir could use a shoulder to cry on."

"You got it!" she readily agreed. She turned to Riker, "_Captain._"

She turned on her heels and followed Macen out. Riker sat back down in his seat and wondered what the hell had just happened?

* * *

They met T'Kir in the Rec Room. Tessa was holding T'Kir's arm and waist. She was shaken but not distraught, which is what Macen had hoped for. He came in and embraced her.

Kissing her on her forehead, he said; "I have to go."

"Gonna check on P'ris aren't ya?" she said with a glimmer of a twinkle in her eye.

"Yup. She may be dead for all we know." Macen confirmed it, "_I_ have to know."

"How long will y'be?" she wondered.

"I don't know. Romulan communications are probably a mess right now. It could take hours." He brightened, "In the meantime, Hannah can share her news."

"Y've got news?" T'Kir perked up, "Somethin' t'do with Ian I hope?"

Grace grinned, "Not quite but you'll still like it."

* * *

Macen excused himself and went to his shared quarters. He and P'ris had always had a strange relationship. It was one part playful banter and the other part deadly intentions.

After twenty minutes of navigating a foreign network, he paged her personal comm center. To his relief, and possibly his chagrin, a harried looking P'ris answered.

"What?" she barked, and then recognizing her caller, her cheeks flushed emerald and she asked, "Commander?"

"Yes P'ris, it's me. Obviously you're alive so all I can ask you is do you need help? I can contact Starfleet and they can send a relief convoy." He offered.

P'ris looked anguished, "I wish I could accept your aid, Commander. I truly wish I could. Elements know that our colony worlds could use the assistance but policy is already being made."

"Policy?" Macen warily asked.

"The surviving Senators from the Outer Marches and the Inner Colonies have banded together and are forming a new Senate. They are not friends of your Federation." P'ris revealed.

"This has to do with Spock's failure, doesn't it?" Macen guessed.

P'ris nodded, "Indeed. The Senate voted him their full backing yet it came to nothing. The loss of the Remans is no great issue but _Romulus_…"

"I understand all too well." Macen tried to console her.

P'ris's eyes flashed fire until she recalled to whom she was speaking, "I suppose you can. Thank you for alerting me to the problem before it happened. If the Senate had been left to its folly, we would now be a dying culture."

"I hear a 'but' coming." Macen said sourly.

"_But_ my people want to rebuild on their own strengths." P'ris stated.

Macen nodded, "So did my people. Unfortunately there aren't enough of us left to maintain a viable culture. I take it that isn't the case with the Romulans?"

"I am not at liberty to discuss that." P'ris stiffened.

"I see." Macen mulled it over, "If you ever need an unofficial backdoor channel to Starfleet Command, let me know."

P'ris smirked, "Still claiming to be a humble privateer and not an agent of the Federation? And aren't you supposed to be on a penal colony?"

Macen grinned, "In order: I am, I'm not, and they let me go."

Life began to return to P'ris's eyes as she spoke, "Yet truly the facts are: You are not, you are, and I am glad. I missed…keeping track of you. Indeed, my duties had become quite commonplace. I expect you will be back in the thick of it?"

"I'm going after Sindis." Macen revealed.

P'ris looked concerned, "A third encounter when the first two have gone askew?"

"This time Sindis has made a fatal mistake." Macen declared.

"And that is?" P'ris wondered.

"He's turned the whole team against him. Before we've always acted as individuals. _This_ time we'll be a team." Macen shared.

P'ris scrutinized him and observed, "You are a changed man. You seem to be less…agitated. You still have a restless spirit but some of your demons have abandoned you. It is a pleasant change."

"It is indeed." Macen smiled.

"You are also in different quarters. _Your _quarters I would presume. Why are you not in your 'Ready Room'?" P'ris wondered.

"Because it isn't mine anymore." Macen answered.

"You are no longer Captain of the _Obsidian_?" she was stunned.

"Tom Riker grew into the job during my absence. He can keep the role." Macen said easily.

"Then what role do you play aboard ship?" P'ris asked.

"I lead the Investigative Unit and serve as staff intelligence officer." Macen explained.

P'ris was reeling, "To lose the homeworld and to discover this in one day. It is too much."

"How _are_ you doing?" Macen asked.

"How am I coping, you mean?" P'ris smirked again.

"Essentially." Macen confirmed it.

"I have had three years in which to prepare. I have a small estate on this world and a voice in the interim Senate. I have lost friends and loved ones that thought I was mad with my dire predictions and I have not yet begun to grieve for them. I am still in what you would call 'survival mode'. The grief will come and when it does it will shatter me for a time but I have my duties to return to so I will be forced to carry on." P'ris admitted.

"I've known the feeling. Just don't give up…ever." Macen urged.

P'ris's smile became shy, "Why Commander, you sound as though you care."

"I do." Macen confessed.

P'ris blushed and made to respond but she was distracted by something off screen. Pursing her lips and frowning she said, "Drat. The Senate is calling. I must go now. Have no fears, Commander. I will keep the faith."

"So will I." Macen promised.

P'ris gave him a beatific smile and cut the channel.

Macen pondered her shyness and her slight blush. He'd never seen such behavior from the typically brash Romulan. He shook his head.

"Will wonders never cease." He murmured to himself.

Placing the comp/comm on stand-by, he left the quarters and sought out T'Kir.


	5. Chapter 5

8

Parva was as good as her word. Riker wisely left her to her pet project, _after_ receiving a tongue lashing from his Chief Engineer. Macen and company quickly decided to give their equipment a test drive. Macen assigned T'Kir to hacking the Hall of Games on Ferenginar. She pulled every high security file and distributed them between Rockford and Macen.

After several hours Rockford cried out, "Got `im!"

Macen got up and holding onto Rockford's chair and desk, leaned over her to see her work, "What've you got?"

"The security plan for Sindis's suites during his stay." She explained, "He'll have the center suite with the two adjoining rooms, on either side, occupied by his private guard detail."

"How many people in each room?" Macen asked.

"Four each in the guard rooms. It's a safe bet he'll have four with him in his suite." Rockford answered, "Plus he'll probably have four guards in the corridor."

"Like you said, it's a safe bet." Macen agreed, "Rab, can you deal with those numbers?"

"Jenrya and I will have the corridor and the guard rooms swept in minutes." Daggit promised.

"Which leaves you, T'Kir, and I on Sindis's suite." Rockford described. That's three to four odds, not counting the big man himself. I hope you've got a contingency to deal with him because his clone handed our asses to us. I know from experience that the man himself is twice as deadly."

"I not only have a gambit prepared, I have another body lined up to even out the odds." Macen revealed.

"You've a recruit for the Investigative Team?" Rockford's eyes gleamed.

"That's why we're headed for Dulces." Macen said.

"I was wondering why we were headed in the opposite direction from Ferenginar." Rockford admitted.

"I convinced Eric McMasters to join us as our Engineering Specialist." Macen grinned.

"Why does that name sound familiar?" Rockford wondered.

"Have you heard of McMasters' Refits?" Macen wondered.

"That's it!" Rockford stabbed a finger in Macen's direction, "Right after they put you two away I was looking for some performance upgrades for my runabout. McMasters was recommended to me but Parva and a couple of the SPYards guys volunteered to do it as a hobby project. _Vision Quest_ can now keep up with the _Corsair_."

"That's the same Eric." Macen stated.

"Why would he give up a lucrative business to work with us? Is he an action junkie or something?" Rockford had to ask.

"Lemme handle this one." T'Kir begged. Getting a nod from Macen, she grinned; "Eric was the chief dry-dock engineer for the Maquis. If you had a raider or any other kind of ship and y'wanted her tooled up, Eric was the guy to see."

"So, he _is_ an action junkie." Rockford wore a knowing grin.

"He's also carried a torch for Lees all of these years." T'Kir shared.

"But she's married." Daggit voiced the obvious objection.

"He don't care." T'Kir snickered.

"So how is he going to spend his time while we're aboard the _Obsidian_?" Rockford wondered.

"Eric is suborned to Parva's staff during our idle moments. I figure between the two of them this ship will exceed her specs in no time." Macen's grin grew.

"Speaking of whom, I promised my wife that I'd eat dinner with her." Daggit made to rise.

"Give Parva our love." T'Kir requested.

"If we're done here, I agreed to meet Jenrya for the same." Rockford said. Registering the surprise on Macen and T'Kir's faces, she smiled; "We put aside our differences over the last two years. After all, we have more similarities than differences."

Macen beamed, "That's great."

"C'mon, let's find Hannah. It's also time to catch up with Tessa." T'Kir suggested.

"Hannah's in the shuttlebay." Macen said, "I don't know where Tessa is."

"I'll hit Sickbay." T'Kir announced, "You grab Hannah."

T'Kir darted out of the room before Macen could say anything. Rockford gave him a rueful look.

"Want to tag along as I go to the shuttle bay?" Macen asked.

Rockford brightened, "Sure."

* * *

They all gathered in the Team Room. Rockford and Radil sat with Gerrit Gren and a few deputies. Riker, Danan, Daggit, and Parva shared a table. Grace, Tessa, T'Kir and Macen monopolized a table of their own.

"So, how're things between you and Galen 3?" T'Kir asked.

"Great." Tessa said in a perky voice, "We discovered sex. I don't know how Felix programmed me but sex…_wow_! We've had sex on every deck including the bridge and the Captain's Ready Room."

Seeing the incredulous grins of her companions, Tessa pressed on; "Tonight, Galen's gonna eat my…_what_?"

Grace had been wagging a finger and shaking her head. Tessa frowned, "What's wrong with what I was going to say?"

"It isn't said in polite society, Honey." T'Kir tried to explain.

"Fine. He's gonna lick my clitoris. Is that better?" Tessa's voice carried and the diners at the nearest table stared. She stared back at them, "_What?_"

"Generally people whisper when they discuss these things." Grace offered.

"Okay." Tessa whispered, "Don't tell Galen but when Radil gets lonely she and I get together and I lick hers."

Grace positively blushed, "D'you think Kort knows?"

Everybody stared at her and she wore a rueful expression, "Oh c'mon, we're all wondering."

"She said he didn't care." Tessa said, "He knew she was a bisexual when they got married. She can be with any woman she wants as long as she comes back to him. I just get to be that lucky woman."

"Congratulations?" T'Kir wondered.

"I…drat!" Tessa vanished.

"Must've been a medical request." Grace ventured.

"Brin, our baby is all grown up." T'Kir lamented, "And she's a slut."

"Are you sure you want to be the one to cast around that particular label?" Macen mused.

"Nyuh." T'Kir stuck out her tongue.

"Actually, Tessa's obsession with sex has led to a couple of hilarious encounters." Grace offered, "One time when she and Galen 3 were hot and heavy somebody requested the services of the EMH and Tessa arrived stark naked. The patient was so startled she ran out of Sickbay and didn't come back."

"How many people d'you think she's sleeping with?" T'Kir asked.

"What do you mean?" Grace inquired.

"Well she's on 24/7 and Galen and Radil only cover a portion of that time." T'Kir described the situation, "I wonder how many people view her as their dirty little secret?"

"She wouldn't." Grace protested.

"I would've." T'Kir stated.

"You did." Macen reminded her.

"Anyway, she learned about sex from me so who knows what she's up to?" T'Kir wondered.

"On to greener pastures." Macen redirected the conversation, "How are things between you and Ian?"

Grace blushed, "They're good."

"What's with the blush, chica?" T'Kir asked.

"I think Ian's going to propose the next time we see each other." Grace gushed.

"Really?" T'Kir was almost as excited as Grace.

"The last time we were together he asked me about all of my favorite things. The clincher to the deal was his not so subtle attempt to deduce my ring size." Grace elaborated.

"Did ya give it t'him?" T'Kir was literally on the edge of her seat.

"Of course I did and then I played dumb. I don't want to dissuade him in any way." Grace shared.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" Macen asked.

T'Kir backhanded his shoulder but Grace's smile lit up, "Ohhh yeah. I've known for a while now. Ian Delaney is the man for me."

"Another wedding. I can't wait." T'Kir was gleeful.

"You'll be my matron of honor of course." Grace squeezed T'Kir's hand.

"Damn straight." T'Kir affirmed it.

"Hannah, we need to talk about your shipboard role. I…" Macen looked up to see Daggit looming over him, "Can I help you, Rab?"

"Can we step out?" the Angosian asked.

"Certainly." Macen followed Daggit out into the corridor, "What's on your mind?"

"I've spent the last two years attached to Jenrya's security force. I'd be really happy to stay with them." Daggit confessed.

"In lieu of sitting in the Infosys Center and taking part in the planning sessions." Macen clarified. Daggit nodded. Macen asked, "Who will take your place?"

"You've got T'Kir. She's nuts but she's creative. Celeste is a strategist besides being a tactician. She's also a top notch investigator. Then there's Hannah."

Macen perked up and Daggit drove his point home, "Hannah's got a killer instinct for these things. Probably a side effect of being Kelvan. Anyway, I think Hannah should have my slot."

Daggit returned to Parva's side and Macen presented his proposal to Grace. She was stunned.

"Me?" she said…_again_.

"Rab has a point. Will you do it?" Macen asked.

Grace looked to T'Kir. The Vulcan frantically bobbed her head up and down for a "Yes."

"Oh, why not?" Grace agreed to it.

* * *

Later in the Rec Room, Danan approached the huddle that Macen, T'Kir, Kalista, and Rockford had formed. Daggit, Radil, Gerrit Gren, and the security force were dominating one part of the room while Parva, Gilan, and the engineers had another corner. Rhiann and Grace had the shuttle pilots cornered. And Telrik had a group of newer crewmen hanging on his every word. Riker stood by to correct Telrik's obvious hyperboles.

"So, once again you have a harem." Danan smirked at Macen.

"And once again, the reports of my escapades are greatly fantasized and not actualized." Macen rebutted.

Rockford and Kalista wanted to know about this so-called "harem". Danan described Macen's Maquis crew and how it was composed of five women and two men. It had been all the talk of the Ronaran cell. Even Ro had stuck her nose into it.

"Seems to me that you like being surrounded by women." Rockford teased.

"I like being surrounded by _certain_ women and one woman in particular." Macen retorted.

T'Kir nestled in close to him, "Is it any wonder why I keep him?"

"Seriously Brin, why are we going to Dulces?" Danan wondered, "It's completely out of the way."

"Ask Tom." Macen's eyes twinkled mischievously.

"I did. He said you wouldn't tell him." Danan accused.

"Oh really?" Macen played innocent, "Must've slipped my mind."

Danan scowled, "Drop the games and come clean. All this tiptoeing is giving me the impression that it's for my benefit."

"That's awfully conceited of you, Lees." Macen warned.

"Brin…" Danan growled.

"Okay. You're right. I have been toying with you. We're going to Dulces to pick up our new Engineering Specialist."

"Really? Anyone I know?" Danan was pleasantly surprised.

"You might say that." Macen snickered.

"Spill Brin, or I swear to you you won't be able to walk." Danan threatened him.

"Does the name Eric McMasters mean anything to you?" Macen asked.

Lisea's creamy complexion turned bright scarlet, "Eric? I haven't thought of him in years."

"Well, he's thought of you. It's been a bit of an obsession really." Macen grinned.

"Pools Brin, you did tell him I'm married?" Danan grasped at straws.

"It didn't seem to faze him." Macen admitted.

Danan buried her face in her hands, "I'm doomed."

"Aw, it won't be that bad, Lees. Just _frinx_ his brains out and he'll leave you alone f'r the next fifteen years." T'Kir grinned.

"I may have a solution." Kalista said.

"Didn't you take an oath of celibacy?" Danan asked.

"Point in fact, I didn't." Kalista said, "I just refrain most of the time in order to avoid taking advantage of sexually immature species."

"You're saying you want to sleep with Eric? You don't even know him." Danan protested.

"The Commander showed me Mr. McMasters' file. He seems yummy. I'm just offering to distract him. If that leads to sex, well Heavens know it's been awhile for me and I'm downright hungry." Kalista grinned.

Danan glared at Macen. He held up his hands, "What? I say more power to her."

"That's only because you're married to _her_. She's a terrible influence. Look what happened to Tessa because of her." Danan scolded.

"Why're y'talkin' `bout me as though I'm not here?" T'Kir grumped.

"You should be in Sickbay trying to talk some restraint into that poor girl." Danan declared.

T'Kir sprang to her feet, "Fine! I'll talk t'her but I ain't promisin' anything." T'Kir stormed out of the Rec Room.

"Not to mince words, Lees; what do you really think?" Macen dryly asked.

"Ohhh!" Danan stomped off to join her husband.

* * *

Later in their quarters, Macen and T'Kir were undressing. T'Kir was describing her "chat" with Tessa, "She's really receptive. Mostly she's just been horny and confused."

"Sounds like your typical teenager." Macen quipped.

"Yeah, `cept this one's got her techniques down." T'Kir sighed, "So, you `n Celeste?"

Macen grinned, "She's not a threat. She's under control. She knows nothing's going to happen and she's willing to get over it."

"But y'like her." T'Kir replied.

"Of course I like her. She's my friend." Macen rebutted.

"You _could_ love her." T'Kir argued.

"_If_ you weren't here then Celeste and I _might_ stand a chance. But you're here and no one, absolutely no one, can compare." Macen said sincerely.

T'Kir wrapped her arms around his neck, "Is it any wonder that I love you?"

"Sometimes I wonder." Macen drew her in for kiss.

T'Kir grinned, "We haven't broken the bed in from its two years of not bein' used. It's practically a virgin."

"Heavens forefend." Macen mocked.

"Laugh it up. What're y'goin' t'do `bout it?"

"Only this." He declared and drew her in again. This time he took her breath away.


	6. Chapter 6

8

The _Obsidian_ assumed standard orbit over Dulces VI. It was early evening aboard ship but it was mid-morning on the surface in Dragnet City where McMasters Refits was headquartered. The orbital works centered around the largest of the three moons. A civilian space station hung in orbit over Dulces but it was currently on the far side of the globe.

Dulces orbited a white dwarf star and even in the sixth orbital track in the system it was still an arid world. Primarily mountainous with high desert ranges it had no salt oceans. The planet was littered with fresh water lakes, some as large as the Caribbean on Earth.

The biosphere was filled with native life but no higher life forms had been present when Starfleet surveyed the world a hundred years ago. Colonization had begun within weeks of the announcement of first discovery. Settlers had come from all corners of the Federation.

The most recently arrived émigrés came from Cardassia. The deported and terrorized fleeing the Unionist grip of terror had come in droves. Over a million Cardassians had settled on Dulces and that created friction with older settlers who had relocated after the DMZ treaty had been established or had supported the Maquis cause.

This emigration wave was one of many reasons why McMasters had thrown his lot in with Macen. Dulces was a little too crowded and the government was a little too invested in protecting the Cardassian immigrants' rights so he thought he would leave. He thought about folding up shop as well but too many good people relied upon his business for employment so he wasn't shuttering the business in a fit of pique.

* * *

Macen contacted McMasters and made certain the engineer was in his offices. Macen and T'Kir moved to the transporter room. Radil and Daggit voiced their displeasure at being left behind.

"Are you basing this on security concerns?" Macen wondered.

"Not really." Radil admitted, "It just isn't fair that you two get to stretch your legs while we sit up here boring our butts off." Radil complained.

"Talk to Hannah and Celeste. They can help you commiserate." Macen joked.

_That_ failed to elicit any laughs. Macen sighed, "We're still in the Federation, Jenrya. Albeit the frontier but it's still Federation space. Your presence just isn't required. I don't need Eric to think that we're invading his offices. He knows us so we should go alone."

"Maybe we should bring, Lees." T'Kir snickered.

Macen grinned, "I already asked. She turned me down cold."

"Too bad." T'Kir laughed.

"Have we settled who is going or not?" Telrik asked, "Because I have a coordinate lock outside of the office structure and time is of the essence."

"Why's that?" Macen wondered.

"To be blunt, Rhiann isn't Miss Grace. She inserted us into orbit with too much momentum to bleed off. We'll be out of transporter range in 31 minutes." Telrik said.

"Then we'd best be off." Macen stepped up to the transporter's pads. T'Kir followed. Telrik touched the screen controls and they dematerialized.

* * *

Irvin Gotz was walking along the sidewalk, minding his own business when an annular confinement beam formed up and shoved Gotz aside. He yelped and then watched as Macen and T'Kir solidified. He started to protest when he noted Macen's wry glance.

Gotz looked Macen over. The El-Aurian wore a brown bomber jacket, khaki pants, a grey Henley, and most noticeably, a Bajoran phaser strapped to his leg. Gotz looked over to T'Kir and he gaped.

The Vulcan was _smiling_. On top of that she wore a black leather duster and black leather pants. An Indigo zip front blouse topped off the outfit. T'Kir folded her coat back around her phaser and then her eyes sparked.

"Shoo!" she waved her hand at him. Gotz took off and ran down the street. The local constabulary would hear of this!

Macen gave her a reprimanding look, "You enjoyed that."

"An' y'didn't?" she snickered.

"C'mon, time's wasting." He ushered her into the office front and a secretary intercepted them. Seeing their weapons, he froze.

"Just let Eric know that Brin Macen and T'Kir are here to see him." Macen instructed.

The secretary stumbled away, still obviously distraught. He reached his desk and paged McMasters. It only took him a moment to emerge from the warrens of the executive offices.

"Brin! T'Kir! It's great to see you!" McMasters practically shouted across the reception area.

The secretary relaxed a bit as his boss led the two strangers to his personal office. He'd heard rumors that McMasters was a former Maquis. He'd also heard that his boss had spent ten years on a penal colony before suddenly relocating to Dulces. Whatever the truth was, he liked his job and he just hoped the two armed strangers didn't kill McMasters.

* * *

"Sorry about the maze." McMasters said as he led the couple through the warrens, "The architect wanted to 'preserve my privacy'. He didn't understand that clients like to talk with me personally whether I'm actually going to be involved in the project or not."

"I get the same with Outbound Ventures. That's why I hired a CEO." Macen replied.

"Yeah, I just finished breaking in the guy that's taking my place." McMasters admitted. He ushered them into an expansive office, "Let me grab my stuff and we can go."

"That's good. Our transport window is narrowing." Macen said.

"I have to ask, weren't you on a penal colony for murder?" McMasters asked.

"For two years. That's how long it took for them to discover the evidence was tainted. They just let us go." Macen explained.

"Then you're awfully damn lucky I was looking for a new challenge." McMasters grinned, "How's Lees, by the way?"

"Dreadin' your arrival." T'Kir snickered.

"Ah, the homes fires must not be burning so bright anymore. Gives a man hope that his spurs will still work." McMasters chuckled.

"That's what she's afraid of." T'Kir smirked.

"Let's worry about Lees when the time comes." Macen suggested, "For now, we need to leave."

Just then, a deafening explosion rocked the building.

* * *

In the front office, the street front façade suddenly detonated. As the smoke cleared and the rubble stopped falling from the roof, a dozen Klingons barreled through the gaping hole. They were dressed in armor, but not IDF armor. No House sigils could be found. These Klingons were renegades.

Point in fact they were a mercenary company. They were one of the best and they knew it. Being pitted against Outbound Ventures' flagship was the largest challenge that they had faced in quite some time. Having worked alongside Solarian Security Systems and finding them highly competent, the Klingon commander wished to pit his mettle against the commander and crew that almost leveled that proud corporation.

"You two, watch these _PetoQ_!" The squad leader barked as he gestured at the receptionists. That accounted for two of the mercs. The other ten ventured into the office maze. Stopping at each office, they rousted the occupants. Discovering that none of them matched Macen or T'Kir's ID visuals, they moved on to the next office.

* * *

McMasters dropped his bag as he heard the screams. Pulling a phaser free from the desk's frame, he said; "Well? Just don't stand there!"

"Stay behind us and stay out of the way." Macen instructed.

He and T'Kir pulled their phasers free. They triggered the door and Macen hustled out sideways with his phaser drawn in a two handed grip. T'Kir whipped her left hand around the opening and visually scanned the area. Her sensitive ears could hear the Klingon's approach.

Macen took the lead and T'Kir dropped back behind his shoulder. McMasters followed, watching in awe. Macen and T'Kir had made a formidable pair in the Maquis but he had the distinct impression that he had unleashed an engine of destruction.

* * *

"You two, scout ahead. Find us a way through this damnable mess." The squad leader ordered.

The two Klingons went around the nearby corner just in time for Macen and T'Kir to round the opposite corner. The firefight lasted for two seconds. The Klingons went down. Macen and T'Kir shuffled forward and grabbed the Klingons' weapons. Opening an office door, they threw the accoutrements into it. The startled office worker calmed down when McMasters shushed her.

The couple went around the next corner and shot the closest Klingons. Bottled up, they were getting hammered. The squad leader sounded the retreat in order to meet up with his reserve in the reception area. He's lost seven of his men counting the two scouts that had obviously failed.

Upon arrival, the squad leader found the Refit workers dead, "You fools! We could have used them as hostages."

The braver of the two killers retorted, "Hostages are for the weak."

The squad leader thought about killing his subordinate but he thought better of it. He might actually need the fool. _Mmm…what kind of diversionary tactic can I use him in?_

* * *

Macen came around the corner and T'Kir reached around but the Klingons were ready for them this time. McMasters herded his employees back further into the maze. He ran back as Macen ducked back around the corner and let T'Kir group her shots for a minute.

"Your receptionists are dead." Macen warned McMasters.

"That's it. Kill these _frinxers_." McMasters angrily demanded.

Macen gave him a dry response, "We've been doing that. Speaking of which, give me your phaser."

McMasters handed it over all the while wondering why Macen wanted it. Fiddling with the Starfleet surplus "dust buster" phaser, he sidled up next to T'Kir. She observed his actions and frowned.

"Oh hell. You're going to overload it." She accused.

"Yup." He acknowledged the truth behind her words.

"Damn it, Brin. You know I _hate_ that." She protested.

"Can't be helped." Macen said nonchalantly.

The phaser began to whine as its prefire chamber began to overload. The whine intensified and Macen began counting down. T'Kir was occupying the Klingons this whole time. She was in obvious distress over the increasing noise and finally she turned to face him.

"Well? Throw the _frinxing _thing already!" she yelled.

"Cover me." He yelled back.

As she swept the target area with a lancing phaser beam, Macen threw the distressed phaser. He and T'Kir ran back deeper into the buildings alcoves. The phaser exploded with a cacophony that matched the initial explosion.

"Are you two all right?" McMasters inquired.

"I'm fine." T'Kir said testily. Looking at Macen she coldly announced, "I hate you."

"Someday you'll laugh about it." Macen countered.

"Yeah right." T'Kir huffed.

Macen's comm badge chirped and he frowned; "_Now _they call?"

Tapping the offending badge he said, "Macen here."

"We've got five minutes before that window closes. Are you sure you don't want to be transported back?" Telrik said.

McMasters darted off, carving a hole through his bewildered and frightened employees. Macen told Telrik to wait for a moment. McMasters returned with his large duffel and Macen smiled.

"Three to beam up." Macen instructed.

* * *

The fateful trio rematerialized in the _Obsidian's_ transporter room. Macen slapped his comm badge, "Macen to Riker!"

"Riker here." Came the disembodied voice.

"Tom, break orbit and head for Ferenginar at maximum warp." Macen ordered.

"And why should I do that?" a relaxed and nonchalant Riker asked.

"Because we were attacked by Klingons, you ninny! Their ship has to be in orbit." Macen explained.

"Riker out." The connection was terminated.

* * *

"Captain! A _Bird of Prey_ is decloaking off of our aft quarter." Jaycee reported from Tactical.

"Shields up! Rhiann, emergency breakaway. Set course for Ferenginar and proceed at maximum warp." Riker ordered.

The ship shuddered. Jaycee relayed the damage, "Shields at 87% and holding."

"Rhiann…" Riker growled. He was beginning to miss Grace's deft hand at the CONN.

The stars began to streak and Rhiann happily announced, "We're away and we're climbing to maximum warp."

"Parva to Riker." Came over the speakers.

"Riker here." He said.

"Why are you pushing _my_ engines?" she angrily wanted to know.

Riker looked to Shannon Forger for help. She merely smirked and threw up her hands. Riker groaned and began to explain the situation, what he knew of it, to Parva.

* * *

T'Kir toggled the intercom. She'd asked for Kalista and the Deltan was quite happy to report to the transporter room. She breezed in with a bright smile.

"Hi, you must be Eric." She took his bag from him and appraised him at the same time. McMasters was a good six inches shorter than Macen. He had a weathered face with lots of character lines. His sharp blue eyes were lively and very engaging. His hair had been a dark brown but now was mostly gray. He was trim, compact, and moved like a cat. Kalista found him entirely yummy.

"If you'd follow me, I'll take you to your quarters." She walked abreast of him so she could engage him in conversation.

As the doors closed behind them, T'Kir and Telrik each unzipped their shirts. T'Kir wiped her brow, "Man, is she pourin' out the pheromones or what?"

"Deltans excrete more pheromones when they're aroused. Eric doesn't have a clue for what he's in for." Macen chuckled.

"It ain't fair that y'r immune." T'Kir pouted.

"Your charms are more than enough to do the trick for me." Macen lifted her chin.

A creamy jade flush came to her cheeks, "Y'r just sayin' that."

He drew her in for a decidedly aroused kiss. Telrik tried staring at the ceiling for a while. Finally, he cleared his throat. They both blushed at that point and departed the transporter room.

Telrik squirmed from his own pheromonal arousal. All of the females on the ship were decidedly squishy. He'd have to content himself to a third supper and call it good.


	7. Chapter 7

8

Morag sat in his command seat and contemplated his foe. The Outbound Ventures crew had surprised him. He'd severely underestimated their mettle. His ground team was decimated, killed down to the last man and the starship had eluded him. The insult of being outwitted and outrun by a surveyor burned holes in Morag's gut.

Bertram Sindis had warned him to expect the unexpected from Macen. _Now_ Morag took those words to heart. Macen and his crew would learn, to their everlasting sorrow, that Morag's ship had also been upgraded. They were currently pacing the Federation craft and as soon as it slowed, they would pounce.

* * *

Riker ordered the _Obsidian_ to slow four hours after accelerating. She went from warp 9.71 to warp 6. Parva called the bridge to thank her captain for relieving the stress load from her babies. Riker chuckled at this. Apparently she'd stayed past her shift even as he had to monitor the situation.

Referring to the engines as her babies was a very real euphemism. Orion and Angosian DNA was incompatible which meant that she and Daggit could never bear natural children. Whether or not to adopt children was a matter of an ongoing discussion between them and Riker wished them all the happiness they could have from whatever course they chose to pursue.

He and Lisea faced the same dilemma. The difference being Riker's responsibilities for the ship and crew. Could he manage a family and a crew simultaneously? Would it be fair to rear a child while its parents faced mortal danger on a daily basis? He knew Starfleet crews had faced such decisions until the Dominion War. The fleet now required at least one parent to accept a planet or station side assignment nowadays. Should that be the norm for Outbound Ventures?

Riker knew Macen and T'Kir had lost an unborn child due to their involvement in field ops. Surprisingly, Macen and Claudia Tyrol still hadn't made official policy. Riker thought a little proactive intervention was required. It would settle things for many people.

"Captain! _Bird of Prey_ decloaking off our aft quarter!" the rating at Tactical called out.

"Shields!" Riker barked. It was too little too late.

* * *

The Klingon ship opened fire on the unprotected surveyor. The ablative armor staved off some of the lethal effects of the disruptor bursts but Engineering was hit hard and the warp core scrammed. Equipment across Engineering exploded. Three engineers were injured and Tessa and her staff were summoned. Fortunately the EMH hadn't been caught in a compromising position.

* * *

"Parva, damage report!" Riker said over the intercom.

"The warp core's down. We still have auxiliary power but the shield emitters are badly damaged. We should only have spotty coverage over the ship which means our impulse reactor is vulnerable. I don't care how you do it but protect that reactor or we'll be down to the batteries." Parva replied.

"Aye, aye captain." Riker signed off. He turned to Forger, who was monitoring the Tactical rating; "Shannon, how bad is it?"

"Shields are out over the ventral rear quarter. The rest of our shields are at 40%. We can't afford to take a pounding." She reported.

"Captain, they're arming photons." The rating reported.

"Ceryx! Evasive maneuvers!" Riker ordered.

The Tyrokian chuckled, "I _have_ been running an evasive pattern."

"They've launched!" Forger plopped back down into her seat beside Riker's.

The ship shuddered. The lights went out until OPS activated the emergency lights. The Tactical rating announced the collapse of the shields. Parva announced that they were on the batteries. Then the Klingons beamed aboard…

* * *

"What the hell? It feels like _you're_ drivin'." T'Kir accused Macen as the ship shuddered again. The lights went out and then the emergency lighting from the floor and ceiling came on. Macen slapped his comm badge.

"Macen to Radil" he said.

"Radil here. And before you ask, thirty Klingons have beamed aboard. I've rousted my security force and they're mobilizing. Rab's with me and we're retaking Engineering. The next high concentration of boarders is on the bridge. You want them?" she announced.

"We'll beam in through the Ready Room and take the bridge." Macen conceded.

"Copy that. May you walk with the Prophets." Radil wished them luck.

"You too. Macen out." He terminated the connection.

Macen motioned towards the door of the Rec Room, "Ladies, shall we?"

Rockford issued instructions to those in the space to remain calm and to remain _in_ the Rec Room. Grace and T'Kir led the way out of the room and Macen and Rockford brought up the rear. Between T'Kir's ears and telepathy she should be able to pick up on any opposing forces. Grace's Kelvan-born abilities could make the difference between life and death.

* * *

Radil, Daggit, and four security officers slowly rounded the corner that led to Engineering. The two Klingons that they'd encountered had been killed before they could even warn one another of the _Obsidian_ crewmen. Daggit affixed a shaped charge to the doors while Radil covered him. Then they pressed up against the wall as the charge detonated and sent the doors hurtling into the engineering space.

Daggit was the first around the corner. The Klingon in charge of securing the engines was waving a dagger in front of Parva's face. She looked angry rather than frightened. Although her brain damage still made her rather docile compared to her life before her injuries, she was still a spitfire. Daggit delivered a headshot and the Klingon went down. Parva kicked the corpse in the ribs.

Radil took out two Klingons while her security squad picked off the remaining four. They rushed in and secured the area. The engineers went back to trying and repair the damage. Parva threw her arms around Daggit. Owing to his conditioning, he didn't respond. She shyly kissed him on the cheek. She then turned to Radil.

"I need an escort for a repair team to get the impulse reactor up and running." She insisted.

"I don't know if I can spare the manpower. My whole detail is comprised of twelve men and women and they're scattered across four decks." Radil replied.

"Let's put it this way, without that reactor we can't raise the shields and without raising the shields they can keep beaming Klingons over here `till we drop." Parva's fists were planted on her hips and she was leaning into Radil's space.

Fortunately, Radil was happy to see the Chief Engineer being so spunky, "Okay, Rab and I'll personally get your team to the reactor room."

"Oh goody!" Parva practically squealed. She bustled about recruiting her team. She then led the team herself.

* * *

Two Klingons fell before T'Kir and Grace. They arrived at the transporter room and found Telrik huddled in the corner. He was relieved to see the SID team.

"Commander! Where do you need to go?" he enthusiastically inquired.

"We need a site to site transport to the Captain's Ready Room." Macen explained.

"Not a problem." Telrik ebulliently replied, "Sensors show the bridge t'be full of Klingons though."

"That's the point of the exercise." Macen dryly informed him.

"Gotcha." Telrik grasped the point.

He ran his fingers over the touchpad and the room faded…

* * *

…and transformed itself into the Ready Room. T'Kir rushed to the desk and activated the comm/comp. Tying it into the internal sensors and the internal monitors she pulled up an image of the bridge.

"There are seven of them. One at each station and three for the command section. Ceryx looks calm but Shannon is real fidgety, she may try somethin'." T'Kir announced.

"Celeste?" Macen ushered her towards the door. She stepped up with a smile. He stood beside her. They both held their phasers in a two handed grip. Grace stood behind them.

"I'll try and shield you." She announced.

"Can you protect the bridge crew?" Macen asked.

"My abilities aren't that narrowly focused yet. Give me time." She requested.

"Riiiight." Macen said skeptically.

Grace frowned. Her resurrected, Attuner-less powers had been a point of contention since she revealed them just prior to Macen and T'Kir's arrest. She hadn't utilized them under Riker's leadership. He was even more skittish of them than Macen. Macen saw them as a natural extension of Grace herself and was therefore willing to condone their use as long as it was tailored towards certain applications. Riker just had a knee jerk negative reaction.

Macen and Rockford stepped forward and the door slid aside. Rockford shot the closest Klingon, the one at Science. Macen dealt with the Klingon posturing in front of Riker and then swung right and killed the Klingon at Engineering. Rockford put down the merc at OPS. The next one standing behind the command station followed.

Forger lunged at the third Klingon at Command. Rockford swore and dealt with the one at Tactical. The last free Klingon shot Ceryx but the Tyrokian merely chuckled and bashed the Klingon over the head.

"Hannah!" Rockford called out.

The last standing Klingon threw Forger back and aimed his disruptor. Only he found her bathed in a green energy field and his disruptor beam didn't affect her. He swung towards Riker. Rockford put him down with a single shot to the head.

"Well, that could've gone smoother." Rockford muttered as she kicked the disruptor away from the closest corpse.

Macen smirked in her direction. T'Kir emerged from the Ready Room and grinned.

"Sure, leave me behind t'do the hard work." She jokingly complained.

"And what, pray tell, have you been doing?" Macen asked.

"Routing Security t'all of the Klingons. Jenrya and Rab had already cleared Engineering so it was just a matter of sweepin' up the trash. Tessa had a gay ol' time wipin' out the two on Deck 2." T'Kir announced.

"So I guess congratulations are in order?" Macen asked.

"Damn straight." T'Kir huffed.

"I'll take a memo and get back to you." Macen teased.

"If I didn't sleep with ya, I'd knee cap ya." T'Kir retorted.

"Sticks and stones, m'love." Macen replied.

"Can we focus?" Riker interrupted T'Kir's probable reply.

"Do we have any prisoners?" Macen asked.

"Tessa's two are alive." T'Kir reported.

"My opponent is also alive, Commander." Ceryx informed Macen.

"T'Kir?" Macen queried her.

"I need `im awake." T'Kir reminded him.

"Computer, activate EMH." Macen ordered.

Tessa appeared replete in her surgical smocks. She immediately grew irritated, "What the hell? I've got wounded in Sickbay."

"I need this Klingon woken up." Macen said.

"So? Throw water in his face. I'm busy." With that she winked away.

"I'll get the water." Forger volunteered. She went to the replicator and got a bowl of ice cold water. She brought it to the Klingon. Macen and Rockford took up position with their phasers ready. T'Kir stood in between them. Macen nodded and Forger threw the water and backpedaled.

The Klingon sputtered as he came awake, "What in the seven hells?"

"I suggest you take a look around." Macen said.

The Klingon sagged in resignation, "So now comes the torture?"

"No. Now comes the mind probe." Macen corrected him.

T'Kir grinned, "His commander is named Morag. They're a mercenary company hired by Sindis to make sure we never get to the tournament. Seems they were woefully misinformed as to the nature of their target. They thought we were simply a private investigation and security firm."

"How?" the Klingon started to bolt but Rockford shot him.

"Celeste?" Macen asked in a pained voice.

"No worries, Boss. I stunned him." Rockford assured him.

"Parva to Riker." Came over the speakers.

"Riker here." He acknowledged.

"Auxiliary power's restored. You can raise shields. Should keep those nasty Klingons from beaming any more over." She informed him.

"Parva, I love you." He blurted.

"I am pretty awesome." She said, "Out."

Forger raised the shields, "We also have phaser power and torpedoes."

OPS reported that they had propulsion.

"Gear up people." Riker ordered, "We're taking the fight back to them."

* * *

"Commander! The Federation craft is underway and has raised shields." The Weapons Officer reported.

"Damnation. That means the boarding party has been neutralized." Half his crew had been killed by this ship's crew already. How many were to perish?

"Sir! We have another contact decloaking. It's another Federation craft." The Weapons Officer reported.

"Only one Federation ship has a cloak. It's the thrice damned _Defiant_! Shields up! Take evasive action." Morag demanded.

* * *

The _Defiant_ swooped in with pulse phasers blazing. The ill equipped Klingons were destroyed outright. Afterwards, Commander Ro Laren, CO of the _Defiant_ and _DS9_, hailed the _Obsidian_.

* * *

Ro's image appeared on the bridge's viewer and Riker addressed her, "Our thanks, Captain."

"We were ferrying Quark to the tongo tournament on Ferenginar. As a fully credentialed ambassador he's extended the courtesy. Of course, having the station's CO as a personal friend helped his cause." Ro explained, "I understand you have business at the tournament as well?"

"We're providing security for the event." Riker primly informed her.

"And bagging Sindis has nothing to do with it?" Ro asked with a snarky edge.

Riker's shoulders sagged, "I take it Brin shared our orders."

"So did Admiral Forger. We've been patrolling the area in case Sindis arranged for a nasty surprise. When we got wind of your distress call we hoofed it over here as fast as we could." Ro revealed, "Of course the delay has been driving our esteemed ambassador up the wall."

Ro laughed at the last before adding, "How about I assign our engineering staff to assisting you. I'll also take any prisoners that you have. You can file a formal complaint and we'll extradite them to the Empire."

"Sounds good." Riker agreed.

"I'll be coming over with Nog's team. Make sure Brin is ready to talk by then." Ro advised.

Riker glanced over to Macen. Macen nodded and Riker grinned, "He's so advised."

"Good. I have news for him that he needs to hear and subspace isn't secure enough." Ro warned.

"Understood. We look forward to your visit _and_ your assistance." Riker admitted.

"See you in ten." Ro terminated the transmission.

Riker turned to Macen, "I wonder what that was about."

"I have a feeling we won't like it." Macen sighed.

Macen, T'Kir, Rockford and Grace took the turbolift to Deck 4. When the lift returned, it revealed a worried Lisea Danan. She threw herself into her husband's arms.

"Thank the Pools you're safe!" she exclaimed.

Riker knew he had worried her by not contacting her sooner and he resolved to get ahold of her sooner from now on. In the meantime, it was nice to bask in her loving concern.


	8. Chapter 8

7

Ro gathered with the SID team in their dedicated briefing room. Tessa was the only one missing. She was still stabilizing burn victims. And then there were the cases where shrapnel had to be extracted. All in all the hologram was hip deep in work.

* * *

Parva was coordinating with Nog and the two engineering teams were tackling the warp drive. McMasters reported to Parva. She stared down at him.

"Can I help you?" she demanded.

"No, but I can help you. I'm an expert with retrofitted equipment and if that injector array is any indication this baby has been highly modified and souped up." McMasters smiled.

His eagerness broke down Parva's reservations, "All right, report to Deputy Chief Gilan and get your marching orders." She relented.

"Okay. Who's Gilan?" McMasters had to ask.

Parva managed a laugh and personally took him to Gilan. It was then that Nog cautiously approached the Orion. He was holding a data slate with the ship's schematics.

"Pardon me Chief, but where did you get the refits for this warp core? They're like nothing I've seen before." The young Ferengi was puzzled.

"You can thank the SPYards for the creative wizardry." Parva admitted, "And then there are my own special modifications."

"The SPYards?" Nog repeated.

"Starfleet Intelligence's Special Projects Yards. They decked out our ship." Parva explained.

"I've never heard of them." Nog admitted.

"That's because they don't exist." Parva smiled.

"Huh?" Nog was completely baffled now.

"What's bothering you, Commander?" Parva redirected the conversation.

Nog held up the slate high enough for the statuesque engineer to read it too, "Well, The plasma manifold is completely melted down. From what I can tell it was a specialized piece of equipment. Is there any way of replicating a new one?"

Parva laughed, "All you have to do is ask."

"Can I have one replicated?" Nog requested.

"Of course." Parva's laughter tinkled over the engine room as she walked Nog to the industrial replicator.

* * *

"So is anyone else besides your Engineering Specialist leaving the briefing?" Ro petulantly asked.

"You've always been pouty when you thought no one was listening to your briefs, Laren. I see command hasn't changed that." Macen shot back.

"This is vital information." Ro retorted.

"It's _always_ vital information. You don't traffic in any other kind." Macen couldn't help but comment.

Ro glared at him and Macen chuckled, "You can drop the look. You should know by now that it doesn't faze me."

"Back on topic…" Ro bit out, "Sindis took 100 million bars of gold pressed latinum from the Orion Syndicate's coffers and invested them in a public venture company ran by a Ferengi named Glom. Glom was a weapons dealer who had extensive dealings with the Cardassians, Tzenkethi, Andergani, Gorn, and dozens of other hostile governments. Unfortunately for Glom, he embezzled the finds. He was found dead and all traces of the latinum seem to have died with him."

"Sindis embarked on a search for the funds but he turned up empty. Now the Orion dons are asking about their money and Sindis has turned up empty. He has one week to replace the latinum or he gets deposed and ejected from the Syndicate." Ro was grim, "The most likely scenario that would erupt from that is an all out war between the Syndicate and the Meirkus Conglomeration."

"Wouldn't that solve a lot of problems?" Daggit asked, "They can hammer each other out of existence."

"The problem with this scenario is that both the Syndicate and the Conglomeration have their footprints in virtually every known star system in three quadrants. The potential collateral damage could stress already taxed response mechanisms." Ro explained, "In other words, not even Starfleet can put out the brush fires. We have no idea how anyone else could either."

"Sindis _has_ to win the tongo tournament or his life could be forfeit." seeing puzzled looks, she elaborated; "Each player submits a 1 million bar stake. There's 100 players ergo Sindis can recoup his loss by winning the whole deal."

"Which explains Starfleet's preferential treatment towards Quark." Macen added.

"He's one of the favorites to win. Backing Quark is only _one_ of the gambits Starfleet has in play." Ro elucidated, "Your team is one countermeasure. Another SID team is in play as well."

Ro could tell that ruffled some feathers, "The second team is tasked with guarding the prize. If Sindis loses he's still likely to go after the stake. Elias Vaughn is charge of that team so I think you'll find it easy to coordinate with them."

Ro smirked at Macen's gleeful reaction to that news, "Yes, this does mean that you'll have support on the ground as well as in orbit."

"So you're part of the operation as well." Macen surmised.

"Our 'unofficial' role is to prevent Sindis's cruisers from blowing you apart after you deal with the big man." Ro confirmed.

"Always nice." Riker opined dryly.

Ro wore a wry expression, "The very nature of your assignments typically take you far from Starfleet support. When the fleet _can_ support you it always has."

Riker held his hands up in mock surrender, "I give. I'm just grateful for the help. Especially right now."

"Speaking of which Captain, this briefing is concluded. Brin, if I could have a word with you…in _private_?" Ro announced.

The others filtered out until Macen and Ro were left alone. Macen grinned, "So what's on your mind."

"Do you have a padd handy?" Ro asked.

"We have a whole drawer full of them." Macen walked to the aforementioned drawer and pulled one out.

Ro released a heavy sigh and then committed herself, "Your orders have been amended."

Macen's humorous mood died, "What?"

"Wait a sec." Ro urged. She accessed Starfleet records and downloaded the new contract to the awaiting padd. Macen read the terms of the contract and slapped the padd down on the table.

"An amnesty?" he growled.

"That's the _preferred_ option. An amnesty and freedom from prosecution in exchange for dismantling the Orion Syndicate. He'd also have to step down as head of the Meirkus Conglomeration." Ro explained, "The previous terms of the contract are still intact and viable. Admiral Jellico just wants to try and suborn Sindis."

"Figures. This has Jellico's stench all over it." Macen complained.

"Actually the plan originated with Mackenzie Calhoun." Ro revealed.

"Mac? That makes sense. He's been trying to get me back for the Valdes Crisis for the past 20 years." Macen said bitterly.

Ro crossed her arms over her chest and canted her head slightly to the left, "And what makes you say that? 20 years ago he was an intelligence operative and so were you."

"Alynna liked to play us off of one another. It became a game of hers." Macen informed her.

Ro could see Nechayev doing that. She really wished she couldn't but there you had it. Macen and Calhoun had been rivals since the early 2360's with no sign of the informal contest ending any time soon.

Calhoun had been given command of the _USS Excalibur_ and then the subsequent _Excalibur-A_. That ship, along with the _USS Trident_ patrolled the Thallonian sector. Calhoun's wife, Admiral Elizabeth Shelby, was the sector commander. He'd served as a fleet commander on several occasions and had just returned to his normal duties and a much anticipated reunion with the admiral.

Captain Calhoun had remained with the fleet despite his differences with it whereas Macen had sundered those ties. At first that rupture had been entirely on Starfleet's side but now, over time, Macen reciprocated the feeling. He knew that's why the first two options were still open. Otherwise he would refuse the contract and Starfleet would have no assets in play.

"Brin?" Macen hadn't spoken for some time and Ro was concerned. The Starfleet Command saw this mission as a priority. The fact that Jellico, as Alpha Quadrant Theater Commander, couldn't neutralize the harsher aspects of the orders bespoke of a general consensus that Sindis was better off dead for the sake of the Federation's security.

"Brin?" Ro was more insistent this time around.

"I'm all right, Laren." Macen assured her, "Tell Starfleet Command I have been apprised of the changes to my charter."

"You're not going to contact Admiral Forger?" Ro asked.

"She has enough on her plate on Andor." Macen replied.

"For Prophet's sake, at least check in with Nechayev." Ro urged.

"She'd want to know about my operational planning. The less said about that the better off we all are, don't you agree?" Macen retorted.

"No, I don't." Ro countered.

"Just keep the _Obsidian_ safe. That's all you have to worry about." Macen stated and then he motioned towards the exit, "Coming?"

"After you." She said tersely.

"You should come with me to the Team Room. Tom has Chef cooking up a storm to keep the engineering department going strong." Macen explained as he left the briefing room.

"What are you doing with the Klingon bodies?" Ro asked.

"We're releasing them into space." Macen explained.

"_What_?" Ro exclaimed.

"Laren, those rejects are bereft of name and House. Judging by their fighting skills it's no wonder the IDF didn't want them." Macen calmly declared, "No one is going to miss their corpses."

"That's not the point!" she hissed between clenched teeth, "It's about respect for the dead."

"I expect that if we were dead and the Klingons were alive, they'd extend the same courtesies to us." Macen said flatly.

Ro couldn't argue no matter how hard she wanted to, "What are you doing with the three prisoners?"

"As soon as someone on your ship coordinates with us we'll be transferring them to the _Defiant_." Macen answered.

"I'll alert Bowers. He'll handle it." Ro decided.

"Better hurry." Macen smirked.

"Damn you." Ro retorted and she slapped her comm badge and made arrangements.

* * *

Ro relaxed somewhat after arriving at the Team Room and grabbing a meal and a _raktajino_, "This is nice. It's too bad we can't fit something similar into the _Defiant_."

Macen grinned, "Wait until you see the Rec Room. You'll practically beg to join up."

"I've been a civilian. Every time I'm a civilian I'm a terrorist, even as a kid." Ro sighed, "What about you? Shouldn't you be out getting seen and reassuring the crew's nerves?"

"That's Tom's job. I'd just be a distraction getting the attention that should be reserved for the Captain." Macen described.

"But…" Ro started to protest.

Macen interrupted her, "I never wanted command. Okay, maybe I did for a while. Commanding the first _Odyssey_ was easy. She was an intel gatherer not a combatant. I've already lost four ships and a runabout during my tenure with the SID."

"And you plowed this one into a fortification." Ro sagely reminded him.

He responded with a rueful expression, "That's my point. Luckily the _Obsidian_ is a tough little ship otherwise she'd be part of that tally too."

"I suppose." Ro's voice still held an edge, "Still…"

Macen groaned, "Let it go. Please, for both our sakes."

"Okay." She relented.

Macen looked at her wryly, "Do you realize that T'Kir is still convinced you and I slept together during the war?"

"I slept with you and a dozen Angosian commandos. It's what life behind enemy lines is like." Ro retorted.

Macen was bemused, "Not that kind of sleeping together."

"Is she nuts?" Ro yelped and then she waved the question off, "Scratch that. I already know the answer."

Ro stabbed her pork cutlet with her fork, "Why hasn't the psiwitch just read my thoughts to see if it's true or not? When we were in the Maquis she used to dance around in my skull all the time."

"She wasn't scared of the answer back then." Macen pointed out.

Ro wore a victorious smile, "So she's afraid of what she'll find. Heh, I can use that."

"Laren." Macen warned her off.

"What?" she adopted her best innocent face.

Macen buried his face in his hand, "This is going to end badly."

"For whom?" Ro's smile was decidedly cat-like.

Macen had an impending sense of doom.

* * *

The combined engineering staff brought the warp core back online in record time. However, the _Obsidian's _mains couldn't support more than a max speed of warp 8 and a nominal cruising speed of warp 5. Rather than leave the surveyor behind the _Defiant_ cruised alongside her cousin and kept her out of trouble.


	9. Chapter 9

6

Macen and the Investigative Team beamed down to the Hall of Games on Ferenginar. To be more precise, they beamed in at the courtyard _leading_ to the Hall. The Hall itself was protected by transport inhibitors. Ro, Nog, and Quark beamed down alongside them.

Macen's team wore the Field Duty Uniforms made famous by James T. Kirk and his crew during the incursion into Paradise City on Nimbus III. Macen wore the green Captain's variant while the others wore the black and gray urban combat version. The white mock turtlenecks were replaced by black tees and the team's utility belts substituted for the old fashioned waist belt.

The sweater-like FDUs were perfect for the inclement weather on Ferenginar. The forecast was for torrential rain, in other words, a typical day on the planet. They were also readily available throughout the Starfleet Surplus shops littered throughout the Federation.

Ro and Nog wore their duty uniforms and Quark one of his finest suits. He'd had this one commissioned by Garak since the tailor's return to the station. Garak had taken great pains to incorporate the finest Ferengi fashion traditions in it, much to his own chagrin.

Grand Nagus Rom and his Bajoran wife, Leeta, greeted the party. With them was Nog's 11 year old half-sister, Bena. Brunt, the Ferengi Commissioner of Gaming, was also present. Rom had needed to do something with the officious and capricious Brunt and then the Gaming position had opened up and history had been made.

Profits and rigged games were up and the Nagus's inspectors were swimming in bribes to silence them so all were happy. Rom's reforms had quickly launched and just as quickly sputtered. Too many Ferengi were used to the "old" ways and they found ways of still doing things that way. Rom's hope lay in the next generation of the youth.

Rom warmly greeted his son and brother. Quark held his tongue. A Nagus commanded respect, even if he was your idiot brother. Brunt approached the SID team.

"You are Captain Macen?" he asked.

"Commander, actually," Macen grinned.

Surveying the scene, Brunt took in the sheer offensive firepower that the squad represented. Daggit wore his double shoulder holster. His grenade launcher was strapped to his leg. The ever present combat knife was affixed to the opposite leg. He cradled a Bajoran phaser rifle and glowered at Brunt. The Ferengi took a step back.

Radil couldn't suppress her disdainful smirk. She wore a double holster rig on her hips and also brandished a rifle. McMasters simply wore a sidearm and carried an equipment case. Celeste also wore a single phaser low on her leg as did Macen and T'Kir. Grace wore hers high on her hip like the average peace officer in the Federation.

Brunt appraised Grace. For once she wished she wasn't so damned cute. The brown eyed blonde literally pushed Brunt back as he made his advances.

"Down boy," she ordered.

"I suppose you'd like to see the facility now," Brunt was rebuffed but he wasn't about to give up.

"That would be good. The tournament starts in two hours. We need to time to set up." Macen replied.

Brunt seemed disgruntled by this answer. His teams had spent weeks preparing for this event. Who were these upstart Hoo-mons to interfere now?

"After you," Macen prompted.

* * *

The interior of the Hall was expansive. The opening scene was a grand staircase made of gold and marble. A red velvet carpet draped the floors and stairwells. Cleaning `bots handled the mud dragged in by the gamers' shoes. Those that frolicked here did so in their finest. An evident side effect of Rom's reforms was the sight of Ferengi females in evening gowns intermingling with the alien guests and their native minders.

A clothed female would have been scandalous 20 years ago. Those same women would have been restricted to home and hearth and restricted from business and commerce. It was plain to see that many of these liberated woman were the dominate force in their relationships.

"The upper floor is for the common gambling events. The heart of our endeavor is the _restricted_ wing beneath us. The high stakes games occur there. It is there that you will be stationed," Brunt informed them.

"Rab, stake out the entrance and figure out where to establish a clean line of fire," Macen ordered.

Daggit trotted off and Brunt objected, "House security will handle the entrance."

"They won't mind the help," Macen cheerily replied.

Brunt still didn't think so but he would wait until later to try and undermine Macen's position. They walked behind the Grand Staircase to find an even more opulent stairwell discreetly recessed under the obvious structure. The group descended and found a reception hall with a bar, tables, chairs, and restrooms. This area was for the minders of the various players.

Macen placed Grace and Radil at the entrance to the elite gaming parlor. Brunt voiced his concerns over such an ostentatious display of security and Macen said it would be necessary. The Ferengi then objected on the basis of the women's gender. Macen smiled and assured him of their ability to kill every sentient that crossed their paths.

Radil's military skills and mercenary sensibilities would alert her to trouble and Grace's Kelvan born talents would make them practically invincible but the El-Aurian purposefully neglected to tell Brunt that. Next came the gaming parlor itself.

Brunt proudly showcased the area. It had one wall dedicated as a bar space with three bartenders and eight waiters. Ferengi delicacies were stored in stasis vaults. Offerings from the homeworlds of the various contestants were also on hand.

If a player wished to excuse himself for any reason, he could do so during his turn. His cards would be turned over to an officer of the Gaming Commission and held until he returned. All communicators were to be surrendered at the door and security personnel were left behind. Guests and attendants were restricted to the bar with no unauthorized movement allowed within the space.

The SID team proceeded to the bar and gathered up at the end of it. McMasters opened his case at the curved part of the bar table. Macen and the others leaned up against the bar with their backs to the rows of inebriants.

"Now?" McMasters asked.

Macen nodded and the human opened his case. Fiddling with some controls he smiled, "Oh yeah, this room is full of spy eyes."

"Neutralize them," Macen ordered.

McMasters toggled a few controls and sparks erupted from the floors, walls, ceilings, and even a few tables and chairs. Brunt was apoplectic.

Macen met his rage head on, "This area is supposed to be devoid of spying devices as per the gaming Commission's rules. You wouldn't want it to get out you're selling information to the highest bidder, would you?"

Brunt sputtered, "I would never…!"

"Did I specifically mention you?" Macen wondered, "I was speaking in the abstract, in terms of the umbrella organization that is the Gaming Commission. Do we have an understanding?

Brunt slowly nodded, "Of course. Will you be repeating this…exercise in the future?"

"Every morning before game play." Macen revealed, "Since it's only a two day tournament, that won't last long."

Brunt was barely mollified, as his chance for personal profits was being dashed, but he played along with the game as though he truly were an upstanding official. For he knew that if a single word leaked to Rom, he'd be cast out of his lucrative position and adrift without a paddle on the Great River.

* * *

The players began to arrive an hour later. The first to arrive was a Ferengi named Bov. He had a squad of Acamarians for his security detail. Radil informed the detail leader that he and his companions would be staying in the waiting area and he balked.

"My _men_ go where they please. They take what they please and have what they please. Be a good girl and I may have you. I…_urk_!" the Acamarian's face colored as Grace applied a vise-like grip to his testicles.

"These are your _mishveks_ in a vise," Grace hissed and then she squeezed even harder and twisted them, "_That_'s a preview of what will happen if you don't sit down and shut up."

The squads behind them took note and their patrons were processed far more smoothly. A seemingly endless parade of Ferengi and aliens wandered through until finally, Sindis appeared.

The gray skinned alien only brought four members of his security entourage. He did have a female companion. She was dressed similarly to a dabo girl, _if _the dabo girl were nearly nude. Her outfit barely covered her naughty bits and nothing else. The fact that there was no affection felt between Sindis and his eye candy was plain to see. She was a distraction, pure and simple. She might also be a spy. That was McMasters' area of expertise.

Sindis was led to his seat at the table where he would begin the tournament. Some of his opponents were there already. He made his greetings and excused himself. He headed for bar. Approaching Macen, he adopted an oily smile.

"I see that Starfleet has released you and your lovely wife, Captain," He said in his best ingratiating tones, "I almost didn't expect to see you here."

"Your Klingons weren't all they were cracked up to be," Macen replied.

This amused Sindis, "What Klingons?"

"The survivors squealed. But not to worry, the charges are just being added to the list of others. You see, that's why Starfleet released me. They had a job that needed doing and it involves you," Macen informed him.

"Oh really? And what pray tell is that?" Sindis couldn't hide his amusement now.

"Stopping you by any means proven necessary," Macen confided.

"Really," Sindis scolded him, "You should realize by now I am just a harmless world leader."

"So am I." Macen scoffed.

Sindis redirected his attention to Rockford, "My dear Annika, or is it Celeste nowadays? It's so hard to keep track of."

"I'm Celeste Rockford now. Get used to it," she said.

"But of course you are," he mused.

A chime sounded and he clapped his hands, "And now I'm being summoned back to my seat. Wish me luck, Captain and I'll do the same for you."

"Go to hell," Macen coldly commanded.

"As you wish," Sindis bowed his head and departed.

* * *

The games got underway and hours passed. The first round was done and the winners from each table gathered at ten tables to begin the second round. It was then that McMasters' equipment began picking up a signal.

"Brin, you've got to check this out," He said.

Macen watched the wavelength pattern, "Can you disrupt it like the others?"

"I can overload them and they'll probably blow up. It should be pretty dramatic," McMasters said.

"Do it." Macen urged.

McMasters hit his switch and Sindis's right front pocket erupted into flames. His female companion's jaw also burned as a mastoid implant shorted out. She cried out in pain and crumpled to the floor. Ferengi waiters tried to assist her as medical teams were called in. Macen confronted Sindis.

"Give me the communicator," He ordered.

"It is a piece of wreckage now. Why would you want it?" Sindis asked.

"To prove a point," Macen stated.

"And if I refuse?" Sindis cockily asked.

"Then I kill you," Macen said flatly.

"Your pathetic phaser won't harm me and you know it," Sindis taunted.

"I'm willing to bet a photon grenade would do the trick," Macen held out his hand and in it was an armed grenade.

"You're mad. You'd kill yourself and everyone at this table," Sindis warned.

"Call it a fair exchange for Joachim Dracas and Gantz's lives." Macen said evenly.

"You'd do it," Sindis finally realized.

"In a heartbeat," Macen confirmed it.

Sindis handed him the smoking ruin, "Have it."

Macen disarmed the grenade, "That wasn't so hard, was it?"

Sindis said nothing as Macen strode away.


	10. Chapter 10

7

As the second round of tongo progressed, Macen approached Rom, who was cheering on Quark after his first round win. Nog was regaling Bena with tales from Starfleet action reports, not to mention his own stories from _DS9_. The revitalized Cardassian Union dominated the conversation. Ro was discussing something with Leeta. Leeta was laughing and very talkative. Ro, on the other hand, looked a tad squeamish.

"Grand Nagus, if it isn't too much trouble, could you have someone escort me to the secondary team guarding the winning stakes?" Macen asked.

"Uhhh…Brunt could do it," Rom offered.

"Anyone _other_ than Brunt," Macen specified.

"I'll do it," Leeta suddenly chimed in, "Ro wanted to check on Commander Vaughn anyway. You're more than welcome to join us."

"I could…" Nog interjected before being interrupted by Rom.

"Uhm…sorry but Bena needs someone to watch after her and explain tongo to her. I can never remember the rules but you used to play Quark."

"Ah, I see," Nog suddenly understood, "You want to see if she has the lobes for it. All right, I volunteer."

Leeta bestowed a loving smile upon her daughter, "You listen to your brother, Honey."

* * *

Leeta guided Macen and Ro out of the exit. At the checkpoint, Ro retrieved her comm badge and Macen inquired as to his teammates' status. Grace was bored but still vigilant. Every so often a security detail would approach them and make their lives interesting. Radil had served in such companies and knew that being forcibly separated from your principal went against the grain.

Sindis's detachment was easy to spot. It was comprised of three Orions and a Nalori. The Nalori's anthracite black skin contrasted his green hued fellows. He was slim compared to the burly Orions but Macen knew from experience that his wiry frame would be composed of pure muscle.

The look of sheer malice that the squad gave to Macen alerted him to the fact that they were all well acquainted with _him_. He knew there was an outstanding bounty on his head and the various Orion dons would be more than happy to liberate the million bars of latinum from the reserves to pay out on a successful kill.

Leeta led them out of the Hall of Games to a structure across the courtyard. It was the representative branch of the 1st Bank of Ferenginar. Macen knew that for all its formidable features, the Bank was just about the most vulnerable site on the planet as far as Sindis was concerned. There was little doubt that the Iridian had precisely gauged the effects of an orbital bombardment upon the site or even better, secreted an isolinear tag within his own pallet so the entire lot could be beamed up once the shields were collapsed.

Macen mentioned as much to Ro, who concurred. Leeta's eyes went wide with horror. Macen thought that it must be nice to live in the lap of luxury and not have to worry about such details.

As they entered, they were approached by Elias Vaughn. He wore a broad grin as he approached. Macen took stock of the friend he hadn't seen for two years. The grey was gone out of Vaughn's beard and hair only to be replaced with snowy white strands. To be fair, his human friend was 110 years old but he still possessed a vitality lacking in most men half his age.

"Brin!" Vaughn caught him up in a bear hug. Macen discovered that his friend's physical strength was on par with his vitality, if somewhat adjusted for his age.

Macen gripped his arms when he was able to extricate himself, "It's good to see you too, Elias."

"What's this?" Vaughn tapped his own chin to make his point, "A little white? Aren't you a little young for that, after all, you can't be over 450."

"It's not the years," Macen began the familiar mantra.

"It's the mileage," Vaughn chuckled, "I understand all too well."

"Isn't this cozy?" the Nalori said as he and Sindis's Orion security detail entered.

The Orions all brandished disruptors and the pearly white teeth of the ebon skinned Nalori came into view, "Drop your weapons."

The trio ushered Leeta behind them and the Nalori raised his voice, "Now!"

Macen took a two fingered hold on his Bajoran phaser's grip and tossed it aside. Vaughn likewise gingerly removed his Starfleet issue Type II phaser from its holster and tossed it in the opposite direction.

"And you?" the Nalori stared right at Ro.

"I'm unarmed." She angrily replied.

"I rather doubt that," The Nalori commented. He rounded Ro and approached her from behind. He patted down her legs, moving upwards over her hips. He fondled her breasts, which only served to irritate her, and finally went down the length of her arms. As an afterthought he probed the small of her back. There, tucked into her waistband, was a Type I "cricket" phaser.

"Now see there? I was right about you," the Nalori grinned, "If you beg long enough I might spare you in exchange for certain…favors."

"Do I even have to tell you to go to hell?" Ro remarked.

"Too bad. I prefer you alive but I can satisfy myself with your corpse just as well," The Nalori leered.

"I don't suppose anyone's told you you're a sick bastard in the last hour or so," Ro dryly commented.

"My head swims from the compliment," The Nalori retorted, "As for you two, it'll be two to one odds so you should expire within a fairly short amount of time."

"Four to three, _shuk_head," Ro declared.

The Nalori's leer returned, "So much the better."

* * *

"Where'd Macen go?" Rockford asked T'Kir as she finished making her rounds around the tables.

"He went t'check on Vaughn." T'Kir informed her.

"And how long was that supposed to take?" Rockford asked.

"I…Elements! They're under attack!" T'Kir discovered by tapping into Macen's thoughts, "They're at the 1st Bank of Ferenginar"

"Stay here. I'll deal with it." Rockford pledged.

* * *

She cleared the reception area and took the stairs two at a time. She quickly spotted Daggit but doubted that a non-Angosian would've. She sprinted to his position.

"Macen's in trouble." She informed him.

"Where?" Daggit asked.

"The bank." Rockford replied.

"Let's move." Daggit urged.

"Thanks. Two of the most important men in my life are part of this and if either of them gets killed, I'll tear Sindis's head off with my bare hands," Rockford promised.

* * *

Macen ducked under the Orion's wild swing. His opponent was a bar room brawler, as simple and as limited as that. Macen had learned under Vaughn's tutelage and then had those same lessons reinforced and expanded upon by Daggit. The only thing he was worried about was that he was out of practice. Two years on a penal colony where practicing the martial arts as a meditative practice was allowed but sparring against an actual partner was forbidden had left his reflexes sorely out of shape.

The Orion recovered from being overbalanced and threw a left jab this time. Macen spun on his heel and pirouetted out of the way. Seeing it was time to start fighting back, he threw a punch into the Orion's eye. The jade giant roared his displeasure. Macen responded with a left to the nose.

The Orion staggered backwards, eyes watering, and he protected his face. Macen thought this was equitable since he was going after his opponent's knees. Kicking sideways, he dislocated the Orion's kneecap.

The Orion staggered and dropped his hands. Macen rocked him with a right cross to the eye. The Orion raised his hands so Macen delivered two body blows. The Orion got smart and put one hand before his face and the other in front of his torso.

Macen drove in with a knee to the solar plexus, which fortunately Orion anatomy emulated, and then a right cross. As the Orion stumbled forward, Macen took hold of his head and drove his knee into it. His foe went down and stayed there.

Turning he saw that Vaughn was making short work of his foe as well. In all actuality, his enemy was far more damaged than Macen's. Vaughn wasn't taking prisoners. And Macen pulled him off.

The Orion slumped into the ground. And Vaughn's eyes were ice cold and very precise. Macen had seen that look countless times during the worst of the Border Wars and the Dominion War. It didn't bode well for the Nalori.

Ro was having a harder time of it. Her unarmed combat training was more extensive than Macen's but she rode a desk nowadays. Her frame was still lithe and trim, it's just she hadn't fought anyone hand to hand to the death within passing memory. Vaughn crippled the Orion's knee and Macen threw a phoenix punch into his throat.

"Thanks. I need to spend more time with the combat simulations," Ro breathed.

"Very nice but ultimately futile." The Nalori taunted as he brandished his disruptor around.

"I'll rush him. You two take him down." Vaughn volunteered to sacrifice himself.

Macen restrained him, "No need."

"But…?" Vaughn protested.

"Wait for it." Macen suggested.

A phaser whine sounded and the Nalori fell lifeless to the ground. Daggit had his rifle poised and ready. He trained it at one Orion and then the other. Rockford jogged to Macen's position.

"Hello Elias," she smiled before turning to Macen, "Don't do that!"

Macen was just as startled as everyone else and Rockford wore a sheepish grin, "We just got you back. Don't get dead."

"I'm not planning to," Macen grinned, "Rab, is the Nalori…?"

"Deader than a doorpost," Daggit reported.

"Aw, too bad," Macen jested.

"Speak for yourself. I owed him for a good groping," Ro said as she retrieved her phaser and Macen's. She handed his back to him.

"Elias, can you handle the remnant?" Macen inquired.

"A couple members from my vault team will be happy to escort the Orions back to their master." Vaughn happily reported.

"_That_ should be a show." Macen chuckled

* * *

The SID team members and Ro returned to their positions. The second round ended and Both Sindis and Quark were among the finalists. Ro escorted Quark out of the Hall and transported back to the _Defiant_. Nog was given two days leave to be with his family.

Sindis was nonplussed to discover his security detail was missing. Vaughn personally delivered the Orions and Sindis was decidedly irked. Macen and the SID team drew up around him as he spoke.

"You have done me a favor dispatching that fool of a Nalori. As for _these_, they will be dealt with," Sindis's tone was arctic.

The Orions accompanied him praying for a merciful death. One that was unlikely to come. It would be a different story had they succeeded but they had failed miserably and embarrassed their master. Such things could not be forgiven.

"It seems you've performed your duties admirably," Brunt offered solicitously, knowing his Nagus was standing nearby.

"Expect a repeat performance tomorrow," Macen promised, "In the meantime, my team and I need to prepare for the following day."

* * *

The team left the Hall and was transported back to the _Obsidian_. Stepping off the transporter pads before anyone else could, he turned to face them, "Get changed into civilian attire and meet back here in half an hour."

"Armed or unarmed?" Radil asked.

"Utility belts and holsters only," Macen grinned, "We may even get some fine dining in."

Rockford smirked, "We're scouting out Sindis's rooms."

"And letting him know that we're watching," Macen eagerly said.

"This could be fun," Daggit observed, "Can I bring Parva?"

"She can join us at the hotel's restaurant. Our other errand should only take ten minutes or so," Macen guessed.

"It'll probably take that long to get a table anyway," Daggit realized.

"Time's wasting, people," Macen shooed them out of the room. Before he exited the transporter room, he used the intercom to reach Riker and Danan and invite them to the surface as well. They could hold down the table fort with Parva while the others were engaged in skullduggery.


	11. Chapter 11

9

The team beamed down in their casual finery and materialized on the restaurant's transporter pads. The section was large enough to accompany twice as many as had arrived. They quickly requested a table. Riker, Danan, and Parva remained to secure it when it became available. The wait was expected to last 45 minutes. The bulk of the team began wandering the hallways of the adjacent hotel.

Although they were exuding an innocent air of harmless wandering their purpose was precise. They entered the private wing where Sindis's rooms were located and ran headlong into the four Orions minding the corridor.

"You can't be here," the detail leader warned.

"We'll just be on our way then." Macen replied jovially.

That was when the Orion noted T'Kir's active tricorder, "Hand that over."

"Moi?" T'Kir flippantly asked.

The squad leader moved forward and his fellows braced to support him.

Daggit intercepted him. The Angosian's physique easily matched the Orion's and he was a good four inches taller, "You have a problem, little man?"

The Orion bared his teeth in a snarl and went for one of the knives stored in his bandolier. Macen pulled his phaser free, "Ah, ah. Let's keep it fair."

The Orion recognized the fact that he was caught in a crossfire between the intruders and his own men. If a firefight broke out, he was a dead man. Not wanting to die, he backed down. The SID backed away until they were out of sight and then they returned to the restaurant.

* * *

"The rooms are shielded," Danan grumped as she examined the tricorder's readings, "I can't tell what's inside of them."

"So there may be four guards, less if they're supplementing the disgraced team that presumably got executed, or there may be even more," Macen summarized what they didn't know.

"The good news is that the odds are that the rooms are soundproofed," Rockford offered as a consolation prize, "We should be able to neutralize the exterior guards without interference from reinforcements."

"Provided we jam their comms," Macen pointed out.

"Don't worry. They won't be talking to anyone," McMasters grinned.

"We have to watch Sindis carefully. If he loses, he's liable to return to his rooms in order to have an alibi while his ship tries to steal the latinum," Macen warned.

"Did Vaughn check for isolinear tags?" Danan asked, since that had been her idea.

"When Laren checked back into the Hall of Games she told me that Elias had already found one in Sindis's stake. They were physically checking the rest of the pallets for any others," Macen reported.

Danan grinned, "I told you he'd try that."

"We're all bowing before your infinite wisdom," Macen dryly commented.

"As well you should, after all, resistance is futile," Danan quipped before she saw the irritated glare from Macen. She immediately recanted, "Caves and Pools, Brin. I didn't mean…"

Macen calmed, "It's okay, Lees. Just think before you ever use that combination of words."

The conversation drifted away from the mission and the group was soon laughing and sharing. This continued as they were seated and the waiters began flitting about. Sindis was seated alone in the farthest corner of the room, surrounded by his minders. A waiter was summoned to his table and then the young Ferengi went to the bar and gathered reinforcements to carry the champagne flutes.

The Ferengi with the magnum presented it to Macen, "The gentleman in the corner wishes you to have this. It is non-vintage Krug champagne from Earth. He says the flavor of the grape mix is better in the non-vintage and that you deserve the best."

Macen was about to decline when he saw the expectant look on his associates' faces, "Fine, but I won't be having any."

"Very well what can I get you instead?" the waiter eagerly asked.

"Do you have fresh _mirak_ juice?" Macen inquired.

"The freshest," The waiter assured him.

"I'll take a bottle of that," Macen informed him.

"I'll be having some as well," T'Kir piped up.

"The lady won't be having the champagne then?" the waiter asked.

"No, the lady won't," T'Kir smiled.

The champagne was poured and the fruit juice was brought and served. Macen noted Radil's conversation with Riker and Danan.

"…and then she grabbed him by the _mishveks_ and gave `em a good squeeze. Prophets, did I teach her well or what?" Radil happily wondered.

"You didn't teach me that. My mother did." Grace primly corrected her.

"Your mother?" Riker was dumbfounded.

"That's how she got my father's attention when she wanted to mate." Grace explained.

Riker, Danan, Radil, and McMasters just stared at her. Her cheeks colored, "Well it worked didn't it?"

"I guess you're living proof of that." Riker conceded.

The ubiquitous waiters returned to take their orders and then they shuffled off. The eager young waiter reappeared and spoke quietly with Macen. Macen smiled and excused himself. He went to Sindis's table and the Iridian offered him a seat. The guards stepped away, still within eyesight but out of earshot.

"What am I to do with you, captain? You simply won't die," Sindis chuckled.

"I'm officially obligated to inform you that Starfleet is offering you an amnesty in exchange for helping them dismantle the Orion Syndicate," Macen dutifully relayed.

"Did you tell them that I would refuse?" Sindis asked.

"I mentioned something to that effect," Macen stated.

"Then we have an understanding," Sindis smiled, "Now, as to this business tomorrow, I'm going to have that latinum one way or another."

"I'm not here over the latinum." Macen confirmed for him.

"No, you're here because of me," Sindis's smile turned indulgent, "Give up your fool's errand. It will only get people killed."

"I agree that one of us will die," Macen allowed.

"You still can't admit it, can you? You can't beat me. I'm stronger, faster, infinitely smarter, and far more ruthless. I respect you as an opponent. Do not throw away your life recklessly," Sindis had a manic gleam to his eye.

"I'm not the one that needs that caveat. You should take the deal. It's the only way you'll leaver Ferenginar alive." Macen advised.

"It seems destiny will be had for one of us tomorrow," Sindis said wearily.

"Before I go, you really should pay your spies better. Maybe they'll give you better updates. I'm not the captain of the _Obsidian_ anymore. Your gambit with the clone did see to that," Macen revealed.

"But you are still master of your precious SID team and therefore ultimately master of the ship. Therefore I will refer to you as 'captain' until you rightfully reclaim the post that is yours." Sindis countered.

"You won't live that long." Macen warned and then rose and returned to his own table.

Sindis stormed out of the restaurant after that.

* * *

"What do you mean you can't read his mind?" Riker couldn't believe his ears.

"Sindis's brain is like Hannah's. It's so tightly structured and compartmentalized I can't read it," T'Kir huffed.

"Then you shouldn't be able to read mine," Rockford said.

"Totally different story. Right now, the Celeste Rockford personality is dominant so I c'n read it. Everybody else is background noise," T'Kir informed her.

Rockford scowled as Macen retook his seat, "What'd I miss?"

"Nuthin'," T'Kir practically bounced in her seat.

Macen had caught a totally different vibe but he let it go. Parva changed the topic by putting in a request for dry-dock time. Riker gave Macen a pointed stare and Macen wore a rueful grin.

"You'll get all the yard time you need after we get back to _Serenity_," He promised

Dinner became a light hearted fare and everyone tried to forget about what would happen tomorrow.

* * *

The next morning found the SID team in uniform once more. They were spread out in the same configuration as the day before. McMasters once again blew all of the repaired and replaced spy eyes and sensors. Brunt looked dismayed. His reputation, carefully built around being able to fix a game, was in tatters.

The last ten players gathered around the tongo table. Play lasted for hours. Rather than take a break, which would force them to temporarily relinquish their cards, they played on. The betting forced seven players to go all in. Finally, Quark and Sindis, who were the two powerhouses, went all in. Sindis chose to confront and Quark revealed a full consortium. Sindis, who had a monopoly, gaped. He then stormed out of the players' area.

Rom congratulated Quark. Nog and Ro formed a cordon to ward of avaricious well wishers. Leeta just beamed with pride and repeatedly told Bena, "That's your uncle."

* * *

The SID team left the Hall. Returning to the ship, they gathered the rest of their equipment. Radil shrugged on her portable phaser cannon. McMasters grabbed a prefab jammer. Rockford, McMasters, T'Kir and Macen each strapped a sword to their back. They were replicated from the swords Macen had collected from Arinae when she died. He hadn't used the originals since he'd slain his first wife.

Macen had the two originals strapped to this back. He and T'Kir had fought over that. Macen intended to give Sindis one of the blades. His code of honor demanded that Sindis have a shot at surviving. A slim chance since three other swordsmen would be waiting for him if he got past Macen.

Macen had shown T'Kir the basics and both she and Rockford could match Sindis's reflexes, speed, and strength. McMasters was simply there to prod Sindis back into the combat circle if he tried to slip past the more capable fighters. Outside, in the hallway, Daggit and Radil would be waiting. Odds were that even Sindis couldn't survive a direct blast from Radil's cannon. If that failed, Daggit could feed him a grenade and see what happens.

* * *

They transported down to the entrance of the hotel. As they arrived, particle beams lanced out of the sky and struck the 1st Bank of Ferenginar. The automatic shields went into effect and held for several minutes but they finally collapsed under the orbital bombardment.

Inside of the bank, a pallet surrounded by several others was beamed away. Vaughn's troops kept up their vigil but no one came through the doors. They maintained their positions while they awaited confirmation from their friends in orbit.

* * *

Riker was on the bridge. Macen had commed him to tell him everything was beginning. He witnessed the Orion ship has it barraged the surface with its disruptors. Suddenly, explosions ripped through the aft quarter of the ship.

"There goes their cargo bay," Jaycee reported from Tactical.

"Hail them. Let's see if they want assistance," Riker smirked.

"Yeah, right," Forger said from beside him.

"It _could_ happen," Riker said innocently.

* * *

"Jammer's active," McMasters reported.

"Jenrya, you and Rab have the lead," Macen ordered.

When the four Orion guards spotted the SID force they went for their weapons and their comm badges. Radil blew them apart with her cannon even as they discovered their comms were dead. Daggit stood in front of a door while Rockford spoofed the lock. The door slid open and he rushed in with his rifle to his shoulder. He killed the unsuspecting Orion guards while they were trying to sleep. T'Kir opened the door to the other room and Radil blasted away until nothing moved.

Macen and Rockford held their phaser pistols in two handed grips and T'Kir opened the door. These guards were awake and aware but unsuspecting due to the soundproofing of the room. Macen caught two unprepared but Rockford mowed down the rest. Her speed and accuracy were frightening to behold. Having faced her in mortal combat, he was glad once again that she was now on his side.

Sindis, who wasn't shielded by a sound proof environment, emerged from the master suite. The expansive living area was filled with corpses. He smiled.

"It seems our day has come, Captain," Sindis happily declared.

Everyone holstered their sidearms and drew their swords. Sindis frowned, "All at once? That's rather unsporting of you."

Macen drew his second blade and tossed it at Sindis. The Iridian caught it by the hilt and waved it about, "Excellent balance. Why this choice of weapons?"

"Particle beams merely stun you and you've always been leery of blades," Macen summarized, "They can inflict permanent harm and I'm willing to bet you have next to nothing in the way of experience with them."

Sindis bowed his head, "I defer to your deductive abilities."

"Shall we begin?" Macen inquired.

"All at once?" Sindis asked again.

"They're here in case you get by me. That won't happen," Macen promised.

Sindis began to circle the room with the sword in a two handed ready stance. Macen echoed him and moved in synch with his foe. Rockford guarded the main exit. T'Kir blocked the way back into the bedroom. McMasters hung out near the kitchenette and hoped like hell he would be called upon to actually do anything.

Sindis came at Macen with a blow swung from the shoulder. Macen blocked it and while Sindis tried to adjust his weight and momentum, Macen swung below the Iridian's sword and went for the other man's torso. Sindis jumped backwards but he still received a cut. Cerulean blood oozed through his tailored shirt.

Next came one swing after another. A cut high, then recoiling off of that, a swing low. Macen parried every one of the attempts. Sindis wielded the katana like a broadsword. It restricted the fluidity of his movements so his vaunted speed was cut in half.

Still, he improved as he went. Macen received a slice across his left shoulder and a scratch on his right thigh. He then decided he was done taking Sindis's measure and committed to the attack. Macen swung his sword into Sindis inner ring of defense. The Iridian blocked the stroke. Seizing the opportunity, Sindis lashed out and hit Macen in the face with the pommel of his sword. The El-Aurian was thrown backwards and he staggered as he tried to reclaim his balance. Sindis pressed forward.

T'Kir intercepted him and tried a slashing attack. Sindis parried her attacks and then an evil smile crossed his features. He shoved her blade aside and stabbed her through the torso. On a human, it would be her liver that was impaled. As a Vulcan however, that was the location of her heart.

A heart wrenching cry came from Macen as Sindis pulled his sword free and stepped back. Macen ran to her and dropped to his knees next to her. Cradling her, he lifted her chest and head so that her eyes met his.

"T'Kir…" Macen choked.

Her hand sought his face. Placing her hands above the katra points found there, she struggled to say, "Re…remember."

With one last convulsive shudder, she breathed her last. Macen cradled her slack body for a moment as emotions washed over him. Sindis began his approach.

"Brin!" Rockford cried.

Macen pulled away from T'Kir's body and snatched up his sword all in one motion. As he rose he inverted his blade and spun at the hip. He successfully stabbed Sindis in the chest. Turning to face Sindis, Macen shoved the blade further into the Iridian's chest. Twisting it, he took great satisfaction as blood began to trickle from the gangster's lips and he gurgled.

Macen abruptly pulled the blade free and Sindis's evil smile returned, "You may have killed me but I tore what was most important to you from your grasp. Every time that you miss her you will think of me."

Macen's next stroke slit open Sindis's throat. Cerulean blood spilled and Sindis's knees buckled and he went down onto his back. His mouth opened and closed as he desperately tried to find a way to live. Finally his body went slack and his chest quite heaving. At long last he was dead.

Macen collapsed next to T'Kir and he cradled her as racking sobs erupted out of him. Rockford was the first to react.

"Tag Sindis. We want his body," She ordered Radil and Daggit. Slapping the comm badge on her belt, she said; "Rockford to transporter room."

"Telrik here." Came the Tellarite's reply.

"Beam up every comm badge and isolinear tag in the area." Rockford ordered.

"You got it!" Telrik jovially replied. His happiness died as the team materialized on the _Obsidian's _transporter pads. He activated the intercom, "Transporter Room to Sickbay. We have a medical emergency."

"I'm afraid it's too late for that," Rockford softly informed him. Kneeling behind Macen, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and whispered into his ear, "That's right. Let it go."

She could tell it was having the desired effect. As Tessa and her med team arrived, Macen was still distraught but the worst was over. She held him as they gathered T'Kir and Sindis's bodies and then rose to her feet. Pulling him up, she steered him towards the door.

"C'mon let's get you to your quarters," She quietly urged him on.

As they exited Daggit looked to Radil, "Do you know something that I don't?"

"No, but I have a strong suspicion," Radil said.


	12. Chapter 12

10

An hour later, Rockford pressed the door chime to Macen's quarters. They truly were just his now that T'Kir had passed. She remembered that type of heartache and hoped that he would open the door. The door slid open but he was nowhere to be found.

"Hello?" she could out.

"In here," Came the subdued reply.

Rockford followed the sound to the bedroom. Macen was freshly showered and changed, as she was, but he was staring blankly into the closet. T'Kir's things took up the bulk of the space.

"You know, the closet terrified me after Tannin died," Rockford admitted.

"Tannin was your betrothed?" Macen turned to face her. His eyes were bloodshot and puffy and he looked haggard but he still had a sense of being vitality. Rockford was afraid that T'Kir's death would quench that inner fire. She was relieved beyond words that her fears were groundless.

"Yes," Rockford said sadly, "He was standing right next to me when he was killed. The front lines surged forward so I had to leave his body behind. It was gone when I returned to that position. I don't even know which side collected it. I wasn't even able to attend the memorial. I was thrown back into the line that same afternoon."

Macen nodded, "I thought your emotional spectrum felt a little familiar to what I was experiencing."

She gave him a wan smile, "Been there myself."

"Thank you," He said.

"For what?" she was suddenly confused.

"For managing the team while I was distracted and taking care of me while I couldn't care for myself," He explained.

"Any time," She said sincerely.

"Now, I just have to figure out what to do with these damn clothes," Macen frowned.

"Are you sure you're that ready to move on?" Rockford asked.

"I take it you didn't quite grasp the significance of T'Kir's last act?" Macen asked.

"No, I didn't," Rockford admitted.

"She emplaced her katra in my mind," Macen explained.

"Her what?" Rockford wondered.

"Her katra. A Vulcan's living essence. Typically these are transferred to arks in the temple on Mount Seleya but T'Kir wanted me to carry hers until I died," Macen stated.

"Figures," Rockford muttered.

Macen smiled, "Celeste, I can't 'hear' T'Kir or have a conversation with her. It's more like knowing someone is a room with you. You don't speak to them, or even acknowledge their presence but you _know_ they're there. It's what having a telepathic rapport is like. After years of sharing a rapport with T'Kir I'd probably be a mental cripple without her katra."

He very pointedly declined to mention that the gamble was that T'Kir could cross over to the next plane of existence with him. Since it was an unproven theory he didn't think it was worth mentioning. Rockford's obstacle to Macen's affections was out of her way and he didn't want to disabuse her of her hopes.

"The reason I'm here, beyond the obvious, is tell you Hannah is in Sickbay," She revealed.

"Hannah? She's never been sick a day in her life." Macen found this curious.

"She went berserk when Radil and Daggit told her about T'Kir's death. They had to sedate her. Tessa is monitoring her condition but she seems traumatized. Tessa was hoping you'd be able to talk to her," Rockford explained.

Macen wore a rueful expression, "Sorry, Celeste. You're getting all the bum assignments surrounding me."

"I don't mind. I'm happy to help," She decided.

Macen sensed her emotions. She truly was happy to help him however she could. There was more to it he realized. She'd said she loved him a little bit. That little bit was rapidly ballooning into something real. He idly wondered if that would be nurtured or if it would be crushed in the months to come.

The door chimed and Macen called out, "Come."

Riker and Danan entered the living room and seeing no one there went to the bedroom where Rockford and Macen could be found. Danan seemed bemused by Rockford's presence. Macen wondered what she knew.

"God, I'm sorry, Brin," Riker said, "How are you doing?"

"I fell apart but Celeste got me through the worst of it," Macen admitted.

That mischievous twinkle in Danan's eye just wouldn't go away, "Have you heard about Hannah?"

"Celeste just told me. I'm on my way to Sickbay," Macen told her.

"I took the liberty of filing a report with Admiral Forger," Riker confessed, "She wanted an immediate update and I didn't think you'd be in any shape to talk to her."

"I wasn't," Macen gripped Riker's shoulder, "Good call."

"Can we join you?" Danan asked, "Maybe we can prove as useful as Celeste already has."

Rockford's emotions took on a defensive edge and Macen countered with, "Celeste has experienced what I've felt today. She's proving to be a good guide towards recovery. I'm going to be relying on her for the months to come."

The _So there!_ was unspoken.

Danan wisely backed off. They reached Sickbay and found Radil and Daggit outside. Macen could sense their turmoil.

"I take it she reacts badly at the sight of you two," Macen mused.

"We delivered the bad news. She breaks down every time she sees us," Radil explained.

"Why don't you two go relax for a couple of hours and then come back again? Hopefully we can calm her down by then," Macen suggested.

Macen entered Sickbay, went to her bed, and held Grace as she sobbed. Rockford stood by and started forward as he began to break down again but she held back. After their release was spent, Macen wiped his eyes and looked over Grace.

"She loved you, Hannah. I know one of her regrets would be missing your presumptive wedding," He told her.

Grace started to break down again and Macen faltered. Rockford wrapped her arm around his and he drew strength from her presence. Tessa sedated Grace and she swiftly drifted off to sleep. Next she turned to Macen.

"Let me know if there's _anything_ I can do," She implored.

Macen noted the edge to her voice but he ignored it, "Thanks Tessa. I can't think of anything right now."

"Maybe later?" she asked hopefully.

"Maybe," He allowed. Macen and Rockford left Sickbay and returned to his quarters.

* * *

Later, Macen was alone in his rooms and Tessa suddenly appeared. Macen was slightly startled and said as much.

"I'm sorry," Tessa gushed, "But I have to know, do you want to have sex with me?"

"_What_?" Macen exclaimed

"T'Kir told me to have sex with you if anything ever happened to her," Tessa explained, "I'm willing. In fact, I'm more than willing. I've wanted to sleep with you for years now."

"I'm sorry, Tessa. Your…services aren't required. I'm fine. I don't even want to sleep with anyone. T'Kir just died and it's going to be awhile before I have that particular urge again," Macen tried to let her down easy.

Her clothes vanished and she was revealed in all her glory, "You're sure you don't want to have sex with me _now_?"

"Pretty sure," Macen assured her.

"Damn it," She snapped and then vanished.

The door chime sounded and Macen knew it couldn't possibly get any worse. He told the door to open and Rockford was revealed to be the petitioner. She saw his expression.

"What?" she asked.

"Tessa just came a-calling," Macen answered ruefully.

"What did she want?" Rockford was mildly amused.

"She wanted to have sex with me," Macen deadpanned.

"You're kidding?" Rockford couldn't quite…actually, yes she could believe it.

"She certainly wasn't," Macen complained, "And neither are you."

Rockford cast a wry glance his way, "I'm just here to see you through the worst of this. I don't mean to imply that there's any pressure. If there's even going to be a chance for an 'us' then it's going to happen further down the road. Until then, I just want to be here for you."

Macen smiled, "And that's why an 'us' stands a chance. I have to thank you for everything you're doing."

"It's a pleasure." She said sincerely, "Now c'mon. In one of her saner moments Tessa declared that you can't be missing meals. Chef's working out her grief in the kitchen and the crew wants to share with you."

"Okay," Macen sighed, "I'll come."

"That's good because I was going to drag you kicking and screaming otherwise," It was Rockford's turn to smile.

* * *

The crew gathered in a cargo bay of _Serenity Station_. It was a week after the death of T'Kir and Sindis. It was time to deal with the bodies. The crew had gathered for T'Kir's funeral. Also attending were Ro Laren, Amanda Forger, Alynna Nechayev, and Elias Vaughn. Ro and the admirals had arrived aboard the _Defiant_. Alfonso Reyes, the CO of _DS3_ was also in attendance to comfort Ro.

As the attendees found their seats, Grace and Rockford protectively flanked Macen. Vaughn had made the arrangements on Macen's behalf and he'd traveled to _Serenity_ to console his old friend the way Macen had consoled him when his wife was assimilated by the Borg. Vaughn's daughter, Prynn Tenmei, had flown the shuttle that had brought her father here.

Vaughn called the gathering to order and made a few general remarks regarding the how and why of death. It was like reading a fitness report in its sanitization. Macen was slightly irked by this but didn't hold it against his friend. Vaughn was obeying the security protocols surrounding the death.

Next Ro was called to speak. Her calm poise gave strength to Macen just as it had during their time in the Maquis. Ro began, "When I first met T'Kir, it was on the ashes of her homeworld. She'd come looking to join the Maquis and our feelers directed her to me. All I saw was a volatile young woman with an axe to grind. It wasn't until she demonstrated her ability to easily slice into our encrypted files, files I had helped secure, with nothing but a portable computer that I opted to bring her into our cell. What I didn't know until it was proven later was that her nascent telepathic ability had been unleashed by the trauma she'd endured."

"Unable to control her abilities, she grew increasingly erratic. So erratic in fact that I foisted her off on my poor unsuspecting Intelligence Chief. For T'Kir, it was lust at first sight as she tried to scan Brin Macen's mind and found she couldn't. She hounded him and hounded him, always pining away," Ro described the scene, "What we didn't know, but we all theorized and placed wagers upon, was that Brin felt the same way towards her. But she was ill so he never took advantage of her feelings."

"Later, after the war he was called to form a special investigations team, the team that would become the first unit in the SID. T'Kir had spent the war in the Andes Psychiatric Facility. Brin needed a computer expert so he broke her out and history was made. They were two pieces of a singular puzzle. Where you found one you found the other. In fact it was this inseparability that cost her her life. When Brin was wounded and vulnerable, T'Kir rushed in to save him. Sindis used the opportunity to kill her. Fortunately for us, Brin dealt with him and we won't have to worry about Sindis taking any more lives," Ro continued, "What I can say about T'Kir is this, she was loyal. She was a steadfast, if somewhat annoying Maquis. She stood by the SID despite being harassed by the admiralty to conform to their standards. Most of all, she was loyal to her husband…after she stopped sleeping with every man that crossed her path. She devoted her life to him and she wouldn't see her sacrifice as a vain one. It is a price she would willingly pay in order to secure his well being. We should all be so valiant."

Ro took her seat and Reyes rubbed her back. Macen stood behind the podium. Deceptively calm, he fought the surge of grief that welled up in his soul, "There are innumerable things that I could say about T'Kir but you don't have the time and I don't have the heart. She can best be personified by a single word: _love_. She loved from her very essence. She loved me with a fire and a passion that stretched beyond imagination. She felt the same towards her best friend. Her teammates were family, even those that had once been enemies."

"T'Kir gave of herself all the time. She had a selfish façade that masked an underlying generosity. She wanted those around her to be _happy_ and she would do anything to achieve that state. It was this that I saw in her when she struggled with keeping her mind intact. Few wanted to give her a chance but I had to. There was too much there to abandon," Macen stated, "And I can say this with all certainty: she will be missed. We'll miss the little things, the smiles, the laughs, the playful teasing, and the subtle demonstrations of love. And that brings us full circle. We'll miss T'Kir because we loved her and she loved us. Thank you."

Macen sat down and Rockford squeezed his shoulder. He flashed her a gentle smile and she brightened, knowing he was okay. Grace dabbed a tear from her eye and waited as the tractor beams grabbed the photon casing that served as a coffin and propelled it outside. From there it burned up in Odin's atmosphere, symbolically Viking enough to suit the frigid world.

Afterwards, a wake was being held in Quark's. Quark himself attended. Although his dealings with Macen and T'Kir had often been at the working end of a phaser, Macen had helped with his franchise enterprise. _Serenity_ boasted the first franchisee but now stations and planets across the quadrant boasted a Quark's and no small measure of that was because of T'Kir's advertising campaign.

"Well Commander, I'd say the gathering is a rousing success. Everyone's talking about T'Kir and they're laughing and smiling," Quark shared.

Macen smiled, "Thanks Quark. I know how hard it must've been to drag you away from the original."

"What are business partners for?" Quark said and then he grew conspiratorial, "Speaking of which, I'm in a position to buy out your minority share and contract with you for the advertising."

"Contact Claudia Tyrol. Tell her you have my blessing and she'll handle the negotiation," Macen informed him.

Quark whipped out a padd, "Claudia Tyrol. Got it. Enjoy the rest of your day."

"I can't believe you went into business with Quark," Rockford said.

"He's not that bad once you know his leverage points," Macen said.

"Still…he's Ferengi," Rockford made a face.

"Have we discovered a prejudicial bone in your body?" Macen smirked.

"Damn right you have. If I get propositioned by one more Ferengi I'm going to start clubbing them on sight," Rockford declared.

"It's the price of being beautiful," Macen observed.

Rockford declined to comment and settled for sipping her drink. Vaughn and Ro approached.

"I see you're hanging in there," Vaughn said as he took a seat at their table, "And that you're monopolizing Celeste's time."

"Why? Would you care to monopolize my time?" Rockford cheekily asked.

"I'm afraid our ship sailed," Vaughn sighed, "But at least I have good memories of our time together."

"So do I," Rockford admitted.

"Brin, Forger and Nechayev are going to be over here in a minute. You're not going to like what they have to say," Ro warned.

"They are collecting Sindis's body, correct?" Macen grew apprehensive.

"Yes, they are. They want to discuss the SID," Ro shared.

"Belay that, Commander. We'll take it from her," Nechayev stated.

"But I…" Ro began.

"You're dismissed, Commander. Go mingle with Captain Reyes." Nechayev ordered.

Nechayev and Forger sat down, crowing the small table. The admirals pointedly looked at Rockford and Vaughn to dismiss them. Rockford made to move but Mace stopped her with a hand atop of hers. Vaughn was just as intransigent.

"We need to talk," Nechayev told Macen.

"This involves your sealed records. Are you sure you want to discuss this in front of company?" Forger asked.

"Amanda, these two people know me better than you do. There's nothing there that hasn't been discovered by them," Macen replied.

"Let's cut the BS and get to the skinny," Nechayev said, "You're suspended from SID contracts."

"Why?" Macen asked in a soft, angry voice.

"You know your instabilities. Without T'Kir to restrain you, who knows what will happen?" Forger explained the reasoning.

"This is bullshit," Macen responded, "You're making a preemptive strike against something that _might_ happen. Have you seen evidence of instability while you've been here?"

"No, and that's what scares me. You're a time bomb," Nechayev admitted.

"I thought that was the way that you liked me, Alynna," Macen retorted.

"Of course not," Nechayev snorted, "I'd much rather have you as sane as the next man."

"I've met the next man and he's a bundle of psychoses," Macen quipped.

"Let's focus," Forger said, "You'll still be able to take private contracts as always. If you can go a year without melting down we'll revisit your status."

"And if I opt out of SID assignments at that point?" Macen asked.

"That would be unfortunate for us as well as you. After all, your long term goals are best served within the framework of the SID," Nechayev said.

Macen hated to admit that they were right, "We'll see you in a year."

Sensing a dismissal, the admirals stepped away. Rockford was incensed, "How dare they accuse you of being incapacitated by T'Kir's death. Sure you're grieving but you're not planning mass murders or anything to exact some kind of revenge."

"I can see their point," Vaughn said. This earned him dirty looks from Macen and Rockford. Vaughn held up his hands in surrender, "Your psyche is a loaded weapon. They're just afraid this will pull the pin out of that particular grenade."

"The same could be said of me," Rockford said. In another life she had been Annika Ryst, Angosian Augment Infiltrator and mercenary at large. Ryst was no stranger to spilled blood. However, her Celeste Rockford persona was far gentler.

"Are they planning on throwing me into lockdown too?" she irritably demanded.

"No one is throwing either one of you into lockdown," Vaughn managed not to sigh, "They're just waiting and observing. When their confidence is restored, they'll remove the suspension."

"The team survived a suspension once before. We'll be fine now," Macen declared.

Rockford drew her confidence from Macen.

* * *

Rockford stood in the corridor outside of Macen's quarters, "Well, that went well regardless."

Macen wore a wry grin, "I know you have your doubts but the team will thrive. The civilian contracts I get offered are almost as challenging as the SID offerings."

"Who's worried?" Rockford replied.

"Liar," He hesitated, "Thank you for today."

"Anytime," She smiled.

"Good night," He said as his door _shooshed_ open.

"Rest well," She said as she began to stroll away.

Macen watched her go and then entered their space. _His_ rather than _theirs_. It brought on a wave of grief. He fought the feeling of helplessness. After all, T'Kir was still with him in a very real sense. He had a feeling she'd approve of his measures at coping.

The comp/comm message light was flashing. He sat down and watched messages from various members of the _Intrepid _crew. Bob Johnson had insisted that Macen call him as soon as he got the message. He thought about it but what he really wanted to do was turn in for the evening. He could call Bob tomorrow. He'd talk to Jim McKinley as well. For now, it was time to try and sleep through the entire night.

T'Kir's katra might provide the sense of presence that his former telepathic rapport provided but it didn't mean she wasn't physically missing from the bed. That was one difficult transition amongst a thousand little ones.

He stripped and changed into his shorts. Lying down, he gave one last thought to T'Kir. He'd miss her for the rest of his life but with friends like Celeste, Hannah, Elias, Laren, and Lees he could get through this. He promised himself that and closed his eyes.


	13. Epilogue

7

One year later…

"Well this is certainly intimate," Rockford observed with delight as she sat down at the dining room table at Macen's quarters. She'd enjoyed many meals here over the course of the last year but none of them had been candlelit dinners prepared by Macen himself. She gratefully accepted Macen's help as he scooted her chair in. He began to serve and she inquired as to what the occasion was.

He sat down and poured spring wine into her glass. He himself was having apple juice. The question made him blush. Rockford thought it was adorable.

"Well, there've been a lot of changes over the last year. With your help I learned to deal with T'Kir's death. Once again with your help the SID team managed to pull together despite the loss and our suspension from the SID. That suspension ended today. We're going back into the fire and I realized that I wouldn't want to unless you were by my side," Macen confessed.

Rockford held her breath. Slowly she let it out and asked, "You mean…?"

Macen's eyes held hers, captivating her; "You once expressed interest in me. I don't think that's ever changed. I feel the same way towards you. You've been my pillar of support for twelve months now and I want to let you know how grateful I am."

"Gratitude is nice but let's get back to 'us'. You're saying you want there to be an 'us'?" she sought clarification.

"Yes Celeste, I want there to be an 'us'," Macen smiled.

Her eyes sparkled as her smile blossomed, "All I can say is that it's about time."

Macen was delighted, "I've been hoping you'd feel that way."

Rockford rolled her eyes, "You're the empath. Aren't you Listeners all about gauging people's reactions?"

"I could've been wrong," Macen defended himself.

"If this filet mignon didn't look so good I'd throw it at you," Rockford huffed.

"You'd better eat up," Macen urged, "I have a whole evening planned."

The sparkle returned to her eyes, "I'm getting a few ideas myself."

"Then we'll just have to roll with it and see what happens." Macen's eyes twinkled.

Rockford looked leery, "I wasn't so sure about that. After that little fling with Mariska nine months ago…"

"Lyoti and I were working on satisfying a few basic cravings. There was nothing serious between us," Macen admitted.

"But you and a Cardassian…what would your old Maquis buddies say about that?" she inquired.

"It was…informative," Macen said, "I would trade that experience for anything else. Besides, it showed me what I really wanted."

"Y'know, we could've…" she faltered, "Are you saying you want me?"

Macen held her gaze, "It was a totally different scenario. I could never have anything permanent with Lyoti. I'm hoping I can with you. I just wasn't ready to commit yet. I'm sorry if I hurt you. You seemed fine with it at the time, vaguely disappointed but fine nonetheless."

"Yeah well, I'm a big girl. Big girls take care of themselves and don't get their hopes up to high," Rockford asserted. Even now it rang false.

Macen scooted his chair back, rose, and came around the table. Holding his hands out, his eyes twinkled. Rockford hesitated.

"C'mon Celeste. Dance with me." He offered.

A flicker of a smile lifted her lips. She'd once expressed the desire to dance the night away. She loved dancing but in intimate settings. Her training as an Augment lent her a certain kind of grace but not the pretty kind for dancing. Yet her heart yearned for the expression of its desires. It was a wish that had remained unfulfilled…except for maybe now.

She placed her hands in Macen's and he helped pull her to her feet. Calling for music, he selected a specially prepared track selection. As they began to move to the melody, Rockford looked at him with eyes aglow but there was still a wariness about them.

"Did you and T'Kir use dance to this?" she wondered.

"No." he smiled, "T'Kir's taste in music ran towards the eclectic. I asked Jenrya what your favorite music was. She listed some artists and I've spent the last three months cataloguing similar artists and adding their songs to this collection."

"This is my favorite song," Rockford admitted.

His smile grew even warmer, "I know. What's a better choice to set the mood?"

"Will we require much moodiness?" she asked.

"Oh yeah. We will." Macen assured her.

She laughed out of sheer delight, "You've been talking to Elias."

"Celeste, I've been talking to _everyone_. Especially you," Macen sagely pointed out.

"Yes, you have. I've never had anyone listen to me the way you do. And it goes way above and beyond that usual 'Listener' bull crap. You set out to know _me_ and you never gave up. Lesser men gave up a long time ago," she acknowledged.

"It was worth every moment to see you smile," Macen promised.

"Mmm…I like _you_," Rockford confessed.

"I more than like you," Macen shared.

Rockford bit her lower lip and hesitated for a moment. Macen gently led her into the dances motions and she happily followed along. Surrendering to the moment, she promised herself that she would just enjoy the evening and see where it led.

* * *

They danced for six hours straight. The music was low and slow and they were pressed up against each other and swaying to the melody. Rockford leaned back and gazed into his eyes. Wanton desire filled her very being and Macen responded. He leaned down and kissed her. It was gentle at first but as it lingered it increased in ferocity. Soon they were locked in a passionate embrace. They stumbled through the living room and fell across the couch.

Rockford grinned victoriously, "Do you know how long I've waited for you to do that?"

"According to what you said it's been three years," He replied.

"A veritable lifetime," She complained.

"Isn't it though?" Macen smirked.

"Shut up and take me to bed," Rockford commanded.

"As you wish," Macen picked her up and carried her into the bedroom.

"I never thought you'd literally sweep me off my feet," Rockford admitted as they entered the desired area.

"But you wanted it," He said.

"Of course I wanted it. Who wouldn't?" She said as he sat her down on the bed.

"Well, get ready. If I'm right, you're in for an experience," He forewarned her.

"Overconfident are we?" she teased.

"We're going to form an empathic bond. Lees couldn't because of the symbiot but T'Kir felt it. Let's just say it heightens everything," Macen tried to describe what was going to happen.

"Brin, I'm an Augment. I know all about heightened states," Rockford reassured him.

"Okay," He knelt before her and she leaned into him and kissed him.

Their desire reached a crescendo and they ripped one another's clothes off and threw themselves atop one another on the bed. It was during this period that Rockford learned what "heightened" meant.

* * *

A few hours later, they were both spent. Macen held her from behind. She trembled as she tried to recover from the experience.

"What was _that_?" she asked.

"An empathic bond. You felt my emotions and I felt yours. You felt me feeling yours and vice versa until a cascade effect occurs and you're drowning in each other's experiences. It can be overwhelming to the inexperienced," Macen explained as best he could.

"Gods, no wonder T'Kir wanted to have sex all the time. What a rush," Rockford sighed.

"So you aren't scared off?" Macen was worried.

She rolled over to face him, "Hell no! That was the single most incredible experience of my life. I might become a sex addict knowing that's what waits for me."

"I think I've proven I can survive that," Macen smirked.

Rockford cuffed him upside the head, "Down boy."

"What time is it?" Macen wondered. Somehow the clock had been overturned in their mad excursions.

Rockford leaned off of the bed and grabbed the clock, "It's 0730."

"Damn. We've been up all night." Macen realized.

"Do you want to sleep?" Rockford was full of trepidations. She didn't want to go back to her own quarters now or ever.

"Only if you want to," Macen countered.

"What I want is breakfast," She declared.

"Quark's makes an excellent scramble," He suggested.

"Okay!" she eagerly agreed, "Showers first."

"Or 'shower' singular," He wore an impish grin.

"Oh, you just want to get naughty again," She started backing away towards the bathroom.

"Anything wrong with that?" he inquired as he pursued.

"Maybe. Maybe no,." She replied.

"Oh, I think this is definitely a maybe not," He declared.

He backed her all the way into the shower and then turned it on. Rockford swiftly discovered what the second most erotic experience of her life was.

* * *

They were dressed and headed for the crossover bridge to reach the Promenade. Rockford was practically giddy, "I am never showering solo again."

"Speaking of which, are you happy with your living situation?" Macen asked.

"What do you mean?" she was apprehensive.

"Basically I'm asking you if you want to keep your own quarters or if you want to move in with me." Macen clarified.

"Brin, we've only been dating for a few hours. Don't you think that's rushing things?" she asked.

"Celeste, we've been practically dating for nine months now. I spend every waking hour trying to figure out how to spend it with you. You haven't sent me packing so I'm pretty sure you feel the same way. We just shared an empathic bond that proved that you love me and that I'm in love with you. Or did you miss that part?" he reasoned.

"I wasn't sure. I've never felt anything like that before," She admitted.

"I'm madly, passionately in love with you. In case you're worried, no, this isn't what I felt towards T'Kir. This is entirely new and centered all around you. After last night I want to spend even more time with you. The easiest way to accomplish that is to move in together." He made his case.

Rockford's eyes were filled with tears, "I'd hoped and hoped but I never thought… Of course I want to move in with you. I was afraid you'd send me back to my quarters and decide this had all been a mistake."

Macen wiped the tears from her cheeks, and then cupping her face in his hands, he drew her in for a kiss. She sniffled as she smiled.

"C'mon, let's get to Quark's before we make a scene," Rockford urged.

"Too late for you," Macen teased. She elbowed him in the ribs.

* * *

At Quarks the couple drew several stares. It had been a long time since they had seen the couple this happy. Many wondered if Rockford was the cause of Macen's smile and vice versa. Grace was first to approach them. She stood by their table and studied them before speaking.

"You little scamps!" she declared, "You've had sex!"

Rockford _almost _blushed. Macen couldn't help it. Grace wouldn't relent, "Now I have to tell everyone so we can find out who won the pool."

Rockford pounced upon that, "There's a betting pool on when Brin and I will go to bed?"

"Hey, they did it to me and Ian. So all's fair in love and war," Grace decided.

She then grew a little more nervous and tentative, "So is this a permanent arrangement or a mutual letting off of lust?"

Macen didn't know how to respond so Rockford handled it, "I'm moving in with him. Is that permanent enough?"

"Yes! I nailed that one!" Grace exalted in her victory.

"Is there any other way I can help you?" Rockford's pride was piqued.

Grace focused on Macen, "T'Kir would be proud of you. She wouldn't want you to be alone and she'd confided in me that Celeste was the woman she'd pick for you."

Macen grinned, "Thanks, Hannah. That means a lot."

Macen's comm badge chirped so he tapped, "Macen here."

It was Chris Pike, "Brin, Admiral Forger wants you to contact her. There's a situation that has your name all over it."

"Thanks, Chris. Tell Amanda that I'll contact her in twenty minutes."

"Roger. Out." Pike signed off.

"Forger? We have a SID contract?" Grace squealed.

"Go forth and be my herald," Macen dismissed her.

Grace darted off and Macen and Rockford signaled the waiter so they could get "To Go" boxes. Macen felt a wave of emotion from Rockford and he turned to face her and he saw the love in her eyes. He thought of T'Kir and he thought, _you made a good choice, Snickerdoodle._


End file.
